Madera County has two new coronavirus cases, ‘community transmission with unknown origin’
Madera County announced its second and third cases of the contagious coronavirus (COVID-19) on Thursday.
“These individuals did not travel outside the state or country and are the first known cases of community transmission in Madera County,” the Madera County Department of Public Health wrote in a news release. The county was notified of the positive test results on Thursday.
The new cases are two people from the same family. Both are currently in stable condition, according to a statement issued late Thursday afternoon. The health department is tracing people with whom the patients have had contact and monitoring them for possible symptoms.
Madera County’s first case was announced March 7, involving a patient who had returned from a cruise.
In the wake of the new cases, Dr. Eric Sergienko issued on Thursday a pair of health orders for Madera County.
One limits large- and small-scale events and gatherings, and closes bars, nightclubs, gyms and theaters in the county.
The second sets up guidelines for residents, health care providers and employers for monitoring, testing and treating respiratory illness.
Of enforcement, Madera County Sheriff Jay Varney said during a news conference Thursday evening that while voluntary compliance is certainly preferable: “If we have to intervene, we will.”
Health officials shared additional information during that news conference, including that the first Madera County coronavirus patient is “recovering very well.” That person was reportedly isolated after returning to the county from a trip.
The two new patients announced are believed to have contracted the virus via community transmission, what health officials described as “a confirmed case where the patient has had no contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, or a travel history in the affected area.” The patients have not left the county in recent days.
The department is working to identify people they may have come in contact with. One of the two new patients had more exposure to the community than the other, health officials said. The people’s ages and other information was not shared.
Of the three cases, at least one was identified at Clovis Community Medical Center and another was at Madera Community Hospital.
A health official Thursday said she was unsure of the new patients’ conditions, or whether they were in a hospital.
Other central San Joaquin Valley counties recently announced new coronavirus cases, including a sixth and seventh case in Tulare County, and a third case in Fresno County.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that he expects more than half of Californians will be infected by the virus in two months.
Madera County declared a local health emergency earlier this week, as have a number of other areas.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 3:15 PM.
