First coronavirus case hits Fresno County after travelers return from cruise
Fresno County is dealing with its first case of the potentially deadly coronavirus.
The Fresno County Department of Public Health confirmed the case Saturday evening after two travelers returned from a cruise Friday.
The travelers, whose identifies, ages or genders were not revealed, had been on a Grand Princess cruise and presented themselves for testing afterward.
One of the tests returned as a presumptive positive case.
The family of this individual is self-monitoring with FCPDH oversight, the department said in a news release.
FCDPH said there is no immediate threat to the general public, and the FCDPH is not recommending cancellation of events, closure of schools or buildings at this time.
Read the latest on the Fresno County case here
Second case in central San Joaquin Valley
This is the second case of the coronavirus impacting the Fresno-Madera area.
Earlier Saturday, Madera County confirmed its first case of the fast-spreading coronavirus following a resident’s return from a recent Princess Cruise trip.
The man, whose name, age and city of residence are being kept confidential, is said to be “doing very well” in home quarantine, said Dr. Terrance McGovern, Madera Community’s director of emergency medicine.
The FCDPH said it has plans in place to inform and protect all residents, limit exposures to any new cases if identified, and address concerns as they arise.
FCDPH said it is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the California Department of Public Health, and local agencies to monitor COVID-19.
FCDPH said it would have a spokesperson available Sunday morning to give more details.
The coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. It is a rapidly evolving disease.
The New York Times reported on Saturday that 108 new cases of the coronavirus surfaced Saturday in the United States.
The Times’ coronavirus chart shows that 19 people have died from the disease in the United States.
This story was originally published March 7, 2020 at 7:02 PM.
