No Problem. We got this.
Posted on 02/26/2020 6:24:22 PM PST by DouglasKC
The UC Davis Medical Center is treating a patient who may be the first person in the country to have contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from community exposure.
The California Department of Public Health reported Wednesday the individual is a resident of Solano County who had no known exposure to the virus through travel or close contact with a known infected individual.
An email sent out Wednesday by two UC Davis officials said the patient arrived at the medical center in Sacramento last Wednesday but was only tested for the virus on Sunday despite a request made by med center officials that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conduct a test when the patient was admitted.
“Today the CDC confirmed the patient’s test was positive,” said the email from David Lubarsky, vice-chancellor of human health services, and Brad Simmons, interim CEO of UC Davis Medical Center.
“This is not the first COVID-19 patient we have treated, and because of the precautions we have had in place since this patient’s arrival, we believe there has been minimal potential for exposure here at UC Davis Medical Center,” the email said.
Nevertheless, a small number of medical center employees have been asked to stay home and monitor their temperatures.
Lubarsky and Simmons said the patient was transferred to UC Davis from “another Northern California hospital” on Wednesday, Feb 19.
“When the patient arrived, the patient had already been intubated, was on a ventilator, and given droplet protection orders because of an undiagnosed and suspected viral condition,” the email said.
“Since the patient arrived with a suspected viral infection, our care teams have been taking the proper infection prevention precautions during the patient’s stay.
“Upon admission, our team asked public health officials if this case could be COVID-19. We requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, since neither Sacramento County nor (the California Department of Public Health) is doing testing for coronavirus at this time. Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19, a test was not immediately administered,” said the email, which added that, “UC Davis Health does not control the testing process.”
On Sunday, the CDC ordered COVID-19 testing of the patient and the patient was put on airborne precautions and strict contact precautions. The positive test results were announced on Wednesday.
“We are proud of our health care workers who have been working to care for this patient and are committed to saving this patient’s life,” the email said.
“Just as when a health care worker has a small chance of exposure to other illnesses, such as TB or pertussis, we are following standard CDC protocols for determination of exposure and surveillance. So, out of an abundance of caution, in order to assure the health and safety of our employees, we are asking a small number of employees to stay home and monitor their temperature.
“We are handling this in the same way we manage other diseases that require airborne precautions and monitoring. We are in constant communication with the state health department and the CDC and Sacramento County Public Health about the optimal management of this patient and possible employee exposures,” the email said.
“As we regularly handle patients with infectious diseases, we have robust infection control protocols in place to handle this patient and others with more frequently seen infectious diseases. In this case, we are dedicated to providing the best care possible for this patient and continuing to protect the health of our employees who care for them.”
The CDC announced on Wednesday that a case of novel coronavirus of “unknown origin” — without a relevant travel history or exposure to another known patient — had been diagnosed in a patient in Northern California but did not indicate what city or county the case was in.
In a press released issued Wednesday evening, the state Department of Public Health revealed the individual was from Solano County.
“The health risk from novel coronavirus to the general public remains low at this time,” the release said. “While COVID-19 has a high transmission rate, it has a low mortality rate. From the international data we have, of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, approximately 80 percent do not exhibit symptoms that would require hospitalization. There have been no confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States to date. California is carefully assessing the situation as it evolves.”
“Keeping Californians safe and healthy is our number one priority,” said State Public Health Officer Dr. Sonia Angell.
“This has been an evolving situation, which California has been monitoring and responding to since COVID-19 cases first emerged in China last year. This is a new virus, and while we are still learning about it, there is a lot we already know.
“We have been anticipating the potential for such a case in the U.S., and given our close familial, social and business relationships with China, it is not unexpected that the first case in the U.S. would be in California. That’s why California has been working closely with federal and local partners, including health care providers and hospitals, since the outbreak was first reported in China — and we are already responding.”
This would be the first known instance of person-to-person transmission in the general public in the United States, according to Angell.
Previously known instances of person-to-person transmission in the United States include one instance in Chicago, Ill., and one in San Benito County. Both cases were after close, prolonged interaction with a family member who returned from Wuhan, China, and had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus. As of Wednesday, including this case, California has had seven travel-related cases, one close contact case and now one community transmission.
Published about 20 minutes ago
Detailed info about newest US patient...
No Problem. We got this.
It’s blowing around in the wind.
If the patient is intubated, the patient is very sick.
Notice that the patient was in a different hospital BEFORE being transferred here...
The absurd overreaction continues apace. So reminiscent of the Ebola scare. Can’t wait to buy the bargains on Wall St.
So this person was already deathly ill(Already on a ventilator) on February 19th, probably a few days prior to do that..so that’s already what, 9 days..so if no one else gets infected in the next week or so Id say that is good sign
I don't think it's the same. This disease is much wider spread. It's not as deadly, but 20% of those who get it will end up like the person here....very sick and needing medical treatment.
Yah, but how long before Feb 9 was he/she having symptoms or infecting others? I would give it two or three weeks. I think the CDC is going to be working very hard tracing this persons path.
Some say it can take 30 days to become infected, some say 14 days, the numbers game is everywhere
Pretty detailed but they left out the important part. Is this an Asian American or not.
There are only around 65,000 ventilators in the US. That number is far too small if a major epidemic occurs. This doesn’t even count the lack of trained RNs and PAs who know how to treat critically ill patients. You will also need thousands of respiratory therapists to do the day to day therapy for those on ventilators.
I skimmed the article. Did I miss the factors that led them to do the test in the first place. They surely arent going to test everyone who has flu symptoms
Good question...odds are good though.
Not trying to be argumentative, just asking a question that probably has no answer.
“Upon admission, our team asked public health officials if this case could be COVID-19. We requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, since neither Sacramento County nor (the California Department of Public Health) is doing testing for coronavirus at this time. Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19, a test was not immediately administered,” said the email, which added that, “UC Davis Health does not control the testing process.”
On Sunday, the CDC ordered COVID-19 testing of the patient and the patient was put on airborne precautions and strict contact precautions. The positive test results were announced on Wednesday.
I certainly hope that the CDC does just that!
I don't know the answer to that but you can bet the CDC will be trying to find out...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.