Two cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Orange and Los Angeles Counties as of Sunday morning, according to the Center for Disease Control. This brings the total number of confirmed U.S. cases to four.
Co-director of Student Health Services at Long Beach State, Angela Girard, said that there was no present threat to the campus as of Jan. 24.
“We are in close contact with the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services and they will notify us right away if there are any documented cases or cause for concern,” Girard said.
In a press release sent out by the OC Health Care Agency, the HCA Communicable Disease Control Division received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late Saturday evening that a patient in Orange County has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Sunday morning, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed that an individual from Los Angeles has also tested positive for the virus.
Both of the patients had recently returned from Wuhan, China, which is considered the epicenter of the epidemic. Both agencies are reporting that the travelers are in stable condition and undergoing testing and treatment at local hospitals.
The HCA stated that the individual has visited a grocery store and movie theatre in the Greater Orange County area, but maintains that casual contact requires no reason for concern. Individuals who had more direct contact with the patient are being monitored.
LA Public Health has no information regarding locations that their patient visited, but is actively monitoring those the individual came in contact with to prevent the spread of the virus.
Barbara Ferrer, director of public health, stated that risk for an epidemic remains low in California.
“Because novel coronavirus is new, we are learning more each day about transmission patterns and incubation periods. We will keep everyone informed as more information becomes available. The risk of transmission of coronavirus in LA County remains low,” Ferrer stated.
The LA Public Health press release also stated that there is no current threat to the public, and that people should not be excluded from activities based on their race, country of origin, or recent travel if they do not have symptoms of respiratory illness.”
It is unclear how many have died as a result of the virus, as conflicting reports come from China.
“Los Angeles residents, students, workers, and visitors should continue to engage in their regular activities and practice good public health hygiene as this is the height of flu season across the County,” the LA press release stated.