2 New Coronavirus Cases In Santa Clara County; At Least 9 So Far In County
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Santa Clara County health officials reported two new cases of coronavirus Monday, bringing the number of coronavirus cases in the county to nine.
The county's Public Health Department said one case is an adult male who had contact with a confirmed case in another county and is now under home isolation.
The second case is an adult male who had contact with a previously confirmed case in Santa Clara County. That person is also under home isolation, the health department said.
Further information about the patients was not forthcoming due to medical privacy requirements.
Mayor Sam Liccardo said his office and the county are working on the next steps that need to be taken to keep people healthy.
"There's plenty of cause for vigilance, but we don't want or need panic," said Mayor Liccardo. "What's really important is just for folks to be focused on the best advice that comes from the CDC and from the county of public health officials. They're the experts."
To clear up a rumor that has been circulating, Santa Clara County health officials say it is possible to be co-infected with COVID-19 and influenza A or B virus
Patients should check with health care provider to determine if you need COVID-19 testing.
Santa Clara health officials wouldn't officially comment on the number of COVID-19 tests available in the county right now.
The health department reiterated that the increase in cases is not unexpected. The department said it continue identifying anyone who has come in contact with the cases and would be conducting community surveillance to determine the extent of the spread.
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COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
Slowing Spread of Coronavirus - County of Santa Clara Public Health Department
(Latest info at sccphd.org/coronavirus):
Individuals and organizations need to take action to help slow down the spread of the disease. For individuals, the recommendations are simple, but very important:
- Keep your hands clean by washing them frequently, especially after you touch common surfaces, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, handrails, light switches, countertops, and tables. It is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Always cover your cough and stay home when you are sick.
- Stay away from people who are sick, and stay home if you are sick.
- Work on not touching your face because one way viruses spread is when you touch your own mouth, nose or eyes. If you do need to touch your own mouth, nose or eyes, wash your hands before you do so.
- Start thinking about family preparedness, how to take care of sick family members while not getting infected. Think about a room to isolate a sick person.
There are practical measures that can help limit spread by reducing exposure in community settings:
- Schools: should plan for absenteeism and explore options for learning at home and enhance cleaning of surfaces.
- Businesses: whenever possible, can replace in-person meetings with video or telephone conferences and increase teleworking options, as well as modify absenteeism policies and enhance cleaning of surfaces.
Jackie Ward contributed to this story.
