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A 62-year-old man who has been in a Seville hospital for pneumonia since February 20 has been confirmed as the first case of local Covid-19 contagion registered in Spain. The diagnosis is highly significant as it confirms the suspicions of many specialists after the spike in coronavirus cases in Italy: “The virus has been circulating for several days in Spain and we hadn’t detected it,” said the head of infectious diseases at a major Spanish hospital earlier this week. The patient, who is being treated at the Virgen del Rocío hospital in Seville, is from nearby Huelva and has not left Spain in recent weeks, according to the regional government, who suggested that a “meeting held in Málaga” could have been the origin of his infection. By Thursday afternoon a total of 17 cases had been reported in Spain. Of these, 15 were detected this week after hospitals adopted new criteria and began testing pneumonia patients for Covid-19. One patient in the Madrid region is reported to be in serious condition, with the other cases described as mild. The most severe case is a 77-year-old with pre-existing medical conditions who is being treated in a hospital in Torrejón de Ardoz, in the east of Madrid. Obviously, if there are cases with risk factors, it is possible that someone will die in our country FERNANDO SIMÓN, COORDINATION CENTER FOR HEALTH ALERTS AND EMERGENCIES The sudden increase and the confirmation that the disease is now being transmitted in Spain brings “a new scenario in which the health system and society will have to learn to live with the virus,” said all of the experts consulted by EL PAÍS. “Obviously there have to be fatalities,” said Fernando Simón, director of the Health Ministry’s Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies. “It is not a serious disease, but it is not trivial either. Obviously, if there are cases with risk factors, it is possible that someone will die in our country.” Spain’s eastern Valencia region confirmed its second case of coronavirus on Thursday: a man who was among the 2,500 Valencia soccer club fans who traveled to Milan on February 19 to see their team in a Champions League match. Meanwhile a new infection was also confirmed in Barcelona on Thursday: a 22-year-old woman from Tenerife who had also recently traveled to Milan. We’re not going to see hospitals overwhelmed with thousands of sick people PERE GODOY, PRESIDENT OF THE SPANISH EPIDEMIOLOGY SOCIETY A total of four cases were confirmed in Spain on Wednesday, including the man being treated in Seville. But the other three – in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Island of La Gomera – were, like the previous cases, detected in people who had picked up the infection abroad. The first two cases were discovered in La Gomera on January 31, and on the Balearic Island of Palma de Mallorca on February 9, but both of those patients have since been released from hospital. While the situation is significant, it is not particularly dramatic, the experts say. “Mortality from the coronavirus is relatively low, between 2% and 3%, and it is lower outside of China,” explained Pere Godoy, the president of the Spanish Epidemiology Society. “Its transmissibility, while not negligible, is also not explosive. We’re not going to see hospitals overwhelmed with thousands of sick people. The Spanish health system is amply prepared to deal with whatever is coming.” The number of infections could be five, 10 or 100, we just don’t know ANDALUSIAN HEALTH SOURCES An example helps to put the problem into perspective. All of the cases diagnosed in Italy until yesterday – 400, most of them light – are approximately the same that any major Spanish hospital would deal with for flu during the annual spike in the illness. The discovery of the local infection in the case of the man from Huelva was no coincidence, but rather thanks to a change in the clinical protocols in Spanish hospitals. After the rise in cases in Italy, health centers in Spain are now actively testing patients who are being treated for pneumonia where the origin of the illness is unclear. Until Monday, such tests were only being carried out on patients who had recently traveled to China. “We are like Italy last Friday,” health sources from Andalusia explained. “The number of infections could be five, 10 or 100, we just don’t know.” The Andalusian authorities have begun to investigate all of the contact the man from Huelva has had, while the patient himself is being treated in isolation. His condition is not serious. English version by Simon Hunter. https://english.elpais.com/society/2020-02-27/spain-reports-first-locally-transmitted-coronavirus-case.html

News story CMO for England announces 2 new cases of novel coronavirus Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty statement on 2 new cases of COVID-19 passed on in Italy and Tenerife. Published 27 February 2020 From: Department of Health and Social Care and Professor Chris Whitty Two further patients in England have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of UK cases to 15. The virus was passed on in Italy and Tenerife and the patients have been transferred to specialist NHS infection centres in Royal Liverpool Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital, London.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty statement on 2 new cases of COVID-19 passed on in Italy and Tenerife https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cmo-for-england-announces-2-new-cases-of-novel-coronavirus

News story CMO for England announces 2 new cases of novel coronavirus Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty statement on 2 new cases of COVID-19 passed on in Italy and Tenerife. Published 27 February 2020 From: Department of Health and Social Care and Professor Chris Whitty Two further patients in England have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of UK cases to 15. The virus was passed on in Italy and Tenerife and the patients have been transferred to specialist NHS infection centres in Royal Liverpool Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital, London.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty statement on 2 new cases of COVID-19 passed on in Italy and Tenerife. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cmo-for-england-announces-2-new-cases-of-novel-coronavirus

New coronavirus Covid-19: Fifth confirmed case in Switzerland Bern, February 27, 2020 - The new corona virus was detected in a person from the canton of Aargau. The person was in northern Italy about a week ago. She is isolated in an Aargau hospital. Your health is good. This increases the number of positive cases in Switzerland to five. The sick person, a 26-year-old man, was on a business trip to Verona (northern Italy) about a week ago. After the trip home, the person fell ill and remained at home as a result. Analysis of the reference laboratory for emerging viral diseases (NAVI) in Geneva confirmed that the person had the new corona virus. The patient is now isolated in an Aargau hospital. Close contacts of the sick person were informed and quarantined. The canton and the federal government take all measures to prevent the virus from being transmitted to other people. This includes identifying possible additional contact persons and monitoring them in quarantine over the next 14 days. With the increasing number of confirmed cases around the world and especially in northern Italy, there is a likelihood that other cases of infection will also be diagnosed in Switzerland. The medical facilities in Switzerland are prepared to identify and clarify suspected cases at an early stage and to care for other sick people. Address for queries Federal Office of Public Health, Communication, +41 58 462 95 05, [email protected]

The new corona virus was detected in a person from the canton of Aargau. The person was in northern Italy about a week ago. https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/de/home/das-bag/aktuell/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-78282.html

Third mild imported case of coronavirus in Catalonia Come back Thursday, February 27, 2020 The Ministry of Health confirms a third imported case of coronaviruses in Catalonia. She is a 22-year-old woman from Tenerife who went to the Italian city of Milan between February 19 and 25, the day she traveled to Barcelona. Once in the city, the woman went to the Hospital Clínic, where she is isolated in a mild state, confirming that she has Covid-19. At present, the close contacts that the woman has been able to maintain are being studied and, following the protocol, once isolated they will be advised at home with active surveillance by the public health services. In the meanwhile, the other two imported cases of coronaviruses are performing well. They are a young man, from Barcelona and 22, who had traveled to Milan between February 22 and 25 and a woman, 36, of Italian nationality and resident in Barcelona, who traveled to the Italian cities of Bergamo and Milan, between 12 and 22 February. None of the three cases are related. At the same time, the 38 people who were in close contact (less than two meters away) on the first case and the 14 in the second case will be isolated at home for 14 days. They are all healthy people who are actively monitored and monitored for temperature. The Catalan Public Health Agency recalls that 80% of coronavirus cases are mild and about 15% are severe and 2% are critical. It also recommends that the population, in case of doubt, call 061 Salut Respon. Prevention measures Generic measures of individual protection against respiratory diseases include: Wash your hands often with soap and water or with alcohol solutions. especially after direct contact with sick people or their environment. Avoid close contact with people who may show signs of respiratory distress, such as coughing or sneezing Maintain a distance of approximately two feet with people with symptoms of acute respiratory infection Cover your mouth and nose with disposable handkerchiefs or with the inner face of your elbow when coughing or sneezing and immediately washing your hands. Avoid sharing food or utensils (cutlery, glasses, napkins, handkerchiefs ...) and other objects without proper cleaning.

Thursday, February 27, 2020 The Ministry of Health confirms a third imported case of coronaviruses in Catalonia. She is a 22-year-old woman from Tenerife who went to the Italian city of Milan between February 19 and 25, the day she traveled to Barcelona. Once in the city, the woman went to the Hospital Clínic, where she is isolated in a mild state, confirming that she has Covid-19. http://salutweb.gencat.cat/ca/inici/nota-premsa/?id=383472

@GVAsanitat confirms a second case of #coronavirus in the Valencian Community. This is the case under study of a man in the @GVAclinic , in Valencia, with symptoms compatible with the disease. The first analyzes have confirmed the presence of the virus GVA Sanitat @GVAsanitat · 8h

Health confirms a first positive for coronavirus of a citizen residing in the Gomero municipality of Valle Gran Rey, which was in Italy between February 4 and 8. At the moment she is admitted and in isolation at the General Hospital of La Gomera. Sanidad Gobcan @SanidadGobCan

Israeli who returned from Italy diagnosed with coronavirus: ministry i24NEWS February 27, 2020, 05:28 AM - latest revision February 27, 2020, 11:09 AM 2 min read AP / Pool / Gali Tibbon 2017 © Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, who is also chairman of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, speaks to journalists after handing in his resignation to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017. Health Ministry says patient attended mass gatherings after arrival as he had no symptoms on early stage An Israeli who recently returned from Italy has been diagnosed with COVID-19 coronavirus, Israel's Ministry of Health announced Thursday. The Health Ministry said this was the officially the first coronavirus case confirmed on Israeli soil, with the patient, who is said to have developed "serious" symptoms, quarantined in the Sheba Medical Center. Play Video According to the ministry, the patient has been in Israel for a few days since arrival on Sunday, and there is a possibility that he ended up spreading the disease further. He is said to have been feeling well the first few days after arrival; the patient reportedly was in contact with others and attended mass public gatherings. On Wednesday, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Italy surged to 400, in a 25% increase just over 24 hours, making the country the largest infections cluster in Europe. Play Video Earlier on Thursday, Israel's Interior Ministry announced it was barring entry for foreign nationals with recent travels to Italy. Israelis arriving from Italy are requested to go through two weeks of quarantine. The Israeli authorities also urged citizens to avoid traveling abroad for a while amid concerns over the global spread of the coronavirus.

An Israeli who recently returned from Italy has been diagnosed with COVID-19 coronavirus, Israel's Ministry of Health announced Thursday. https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/1582799308-israeli-who-returned-from-italy-diagnosed-with-coronavirus-ministry

news release _________________________________________________________________________________ Feb. 25, 2020 Second patient test ‘indeterminate’ for COVID-19 A second case of COVID-19 in Humboldt County has not been confirmed because the individual involved has tested “indeterminate” for the virus. Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich said, “Regardless, we are managing the second individual exactly the same as the confirmed case as we have from the start.” As announced last week, Humboldt County has one confirmed case of COVID-19 in a local resident. Both the positive and indeterminate sets of results were confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The ill individuals are doing well and continue to remain in isolation at home while being monitored for symptoms by the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Branch Communicable Disease Surveillance and Control Unit. Frankovich said home isolation is the preferred management approach for people who do not need hospital-level care. “It both conserves our health care resources and decreases the risk of exposures to health care workers, other patients and the community,” she said. As noted by the CDC, the potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the United States. The fact that this disease has caused illness, including illness resulting in death, and sustained person-to-person spread in some countries has health officials concerned. Frankovich stated that there is much the scientific community does not yet know about this virus and how it behaves, but more is learned every day. “We do know that it can cause mild, flu-like symptoms in some people and severe respiratory symptoms in others. We also know that the risk of getting the infection is dependent on exposure. Due to the current limited number of cases in the U.S., the risk of exposure for the general public remains low at this time, according to the CDC. Frankovich said, “Let’s face it, going forward, the big question most of us in the U.S. have is, ‘how worried do I need to be about this outbreak?’ Unfortunately, the answer right now is not clear. Many factors determine how big an impact a new virus strain may have.” The CDC says the most important are: 1) Clinical severity, or how serious is the illness associated with infection. When an outbreak occurs, typically it is the most vulnerable individuals—those who are older or have a chronic disease—who become ill first. Only the sickest come to medical attention. This means that the people most likely to be counted are also the most likely to fare poorly, so initial death rates appear high. Frankovich said because of the speed at which COVID-19 unfolded in China, and the need to deal with the seriously ill first, it is likely there are thousands of individuals with only mild, cold-like symptoms who have never been included in case counts. “Bottom line, to really know what percent of people who have the infection actually die from it, you need a pretty good idea of how many people actually had the infection,” Frankovich said. “This information will become more clear over time and particularly as we are able to evaluate outcome information from additional countries, including our own.” 2) Transmissibility, or how easily the pandemic virus spreads from person-toperson. In China and some other countries, there is clearly transmission occurring at the community level. This means individuals who have no known exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19 have become ill. To date, this is not occurring in the U.S., but this will very likely change over time, according to the CDC. 3) And, finally, is there effective treatment or a vaccine to prevent the infection? The CDC states that there is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. Scientists are working hard to change that situation, but it will take some time. Fortunately, Frankovich said our health care systems offer excellent supportive care for ill individuals. Anti-viral medication for use is also being investigated. Right now, the approach of quarantining individuals with exposures and monitoring them for symptoms, as well as isolating individuals who are confirmed cases, is intended to slow the spread of illness in the U.S., Frankovich said. Slowing spread gives the scientific community time to study this infection and develop effective strategies for containing, treating and eventually preventing infection through vaccination. “The world has become a much smaller place due to air travel which can take us across the planet in hours,” Frankovich said. “COVID-19 is not the first and will not be the last new virus strain to emerge, and that is why continual surveillance for emerging illnesses and maintaining or expanding our capacity to respond is so critical to the health and safety of our communities.” For more information about COVID-19, please call Public Health during normal business hours at 707-445-6200, or visit Humboldt Health Alert at www.humboldtgov.org/HumboldtHealthAlert. - ###- Follow us on Twitter: @HumCoDHHS, Facebook: facebook.com/humcodhhs and Humboldt Health Alert: humboldtgov.org/HumboldtHealthAlert

Feb 25, 2020 Second patient test ‘indeterminate’ for COVID-19 A second case of COVID-19 in Humboldt County has not been confirmed because the individual involved has tested “indeterminate” for the virus. Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich said, “Regardless, we are managing the second individual exactly the same as the confirmed case as we have from the start.” As announced last week, Humboldt County has one confirmed case of COVID-19 in a local resident. Both the positive and indeterminate sets of results were confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). https://humboldtgov.org/DocumentCenter/View/84092/20200225---News-Release---Second-patient-test-indeterminate-for-COVID-19-PDF

Feb 26 Community Spread Humboldt County California -announced LAST Thursday Solano County California - transferred to Sacramento County (UC Davis) Testing delays and HCW exposure (during delays which included TWO requests to CDC) Community transmission in Spain Large number of European exports, as well as Algeria and Brazil (from Italy) Confirmation on second island in Canary Islands Large clusters including community transmission and HCW infection in Germany Exports by Iran (including Canada) Absence if any reported imports into US from Italy Explosion of cases in South Korea, Italy, Iran http://mediaarchives.gsradio.net/rense/special/rense_022620_hr3.mp3

One of the coronavirus cases detected today in Germany is a senior doctor at a hospital in Baden-Württemberg. The man reportedly had contact with other senior doctors at the same hospital over the weekend. About a dozen doctors have been tested for the virus and removed from the hospital's duty roster. https://www.dw.com/en/covid-19-updates-germany-facing-a-coronavirus-epidemic/a-52536472

The two infected people in Tübingen are the travel companion of the Göppingen corona patient and their father. The latest case is a 32-year-old man from the district of Rottweil who entered the risk area in Italy (Province of Lodi, Codogno) with his family on February 23. He had reported to the local health department about the typical flu-like symptoms. The suspicion was finally confirmed on early Wednesday evening. The patient is now cared for in a hospital and treated in isolation from the other patients. His traveling wife and child have been tested negative and remain in isolation. As soon as one of the contact persons develops symptoms, they are also isolated in a hospital. All participating doctors, health authorities and the competence center for health protection at the State Health Office work closely together.

After the two positive Corona test results on Wednesday (February 26) in Tübingen, the State Health Office confirmed another case in Rottweil on Wednesday evening. This increases the number of infected people in Baden-Württemberg to four. https://sozialministerium.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/presse/pressemitteilung/pid/neuer-bestaetigter-fall-von-corona-in-rottweil/

four people in Croatia were infected with a coronavirus, two in Zagreb and one in Rijeka. The first coronavirus infected patient is a young man working at Ericsson Nikola Tesla. He was in Milan, where he was in the Champions League match. He was at work on Friday, and when he noticed the symptoms on Sunday, he called the doctor. He is now in isolation at the Infectious Diseases Clinic "Dr. Fran Mihaljević". His twin brother, an employee of HEP, was also infected. The young man's girlfriend is not infected. Epidemiologists started contacting those who were in their vicinity. The patient traveled by bus from Italy and is checked by everyone on the bus. The two infected are in good condition and have a mild clinical picture. Around 18 hours later, a confirmation was issued that a third infected person had been hospitalized in Rijeka. The health minister continues to point out that the disease is at the level of ordinary flu.

Around 18 hours later, a confirmation was issued that a third infected person had been hospitalized in Rijeka. The health minister continues to point out that the disease is at the level of ordinary flu. https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/cekaju-se-nalazi-djevojke-zarazenog-beros-i-ona-pokazuje-znakove-1381776

Newly diagnosed coronavirus patient being treated at UC Davis Medical Center By Anne Ternus-Bellamy 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. https://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/newly-diagnosed-coronavirus-patient-being-treated-at-uc-davis-medical-center/

Media Statement For Immediate Release Wednesday, February 26, 2020 Contact: CDC Media Relations (404) 639-3286 CDC Confirms Possible Instance of Community Spread of COVID-19 in U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed an infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 in California in a person who reportedly did not have relevant travel history or exposure to another known patient with COVID-19. At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States. Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected. This case was detected through the U.S. public health system — picked up by astute clinicians. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States to 15. The federal government has been working closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, as well as public health partners, to respond to this public health threat. Unprecedented, aggressive efforts have been taken to contain the spread and mitigate the impact of this virus. This is a rapidly evolving situation. CDC will continue to update the public as circumstances warrant. For more information about COVID-19 visit www.cdc.gov/covid19.

CDC Confirms Possible First Instance of COVID-19 Community Transmission in California Date: February 26, 2020 Number: NR20-006 Contact: Corey Egel | 916.440.7259 | [email protected] SACRAMENTO – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today confirmed a possible first case of person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 in California in the general public. The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County. The individual had no known exposure to the virus through travel or close contact with a known infected individual. California has a strong health care system and public health infrastructure. California has prepared for the potential spread of diseases, such as H1N1, in the past and is prepared and actively responding to the potential community spread of COVID-19. Contact tracing in this case has already begun. The health risk from novel coronavirus to the general public remains low at this time. 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 Dr. Sonia Angell, Director of the California Department of Public Health and State Public Health Officer. "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." As in any public health emergency, the Department of Public Health's Emergency Operations Center has been actively coordinating response efforts across the state and preparing for possible community transmission. California continues to prepare and respond in coordination with federal and local partners. This would be the first known instance of person-to-person transmission in the general public in the United States. Previously known instances of person-to-person transmission in the United States include one instance in Chicago, Illinois, and one in San Benito County, California. 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 today, including this case, California has had 7 travel-related cases, one close contact case, and now one community transmission. As with any virus, especially during the flu season, the Health Department reminds you there are a number of steps you can take to protect your health and those around you: Washing hands with soap and water. Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Avoiding close contact with people who are sick are all ways to reduce the risk of infection with a number of different viruses. Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough. The California Department of Public Health will not be providing additional information about this patient due to patient confidentiality. For more information about novel coronavirus, please visit the CDPH website. Related News CDPH Announces Investing $4.5 Million to Six Local Health Jurisdictions to Address Dementia CDPH and a Network of Labs Prepare to Begin Novel Coronavirus Testing in California Two Confirmed Cases of Novel Coronavirus in California Six Confirmed Cases of Novel Coronavirus in California Three Confirmed Cases of Novel Coronavirus in California Page Last Updated : February 27, 2020

The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County. The individual had no known exposure to the virus through travel or close contact with a known infected individual. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR20-006.aspx