Fresno County man being monitored for the coronavirus. Here’s what we know
An elderly Fresno County man who tested positive for the coronavirus is recovering as officials monitor him and the potential for the spread of the disease.
The man traveled on a Grand Princess cruise ship in late February before coming forward this month to be tested by health officials for the virus, also called COVID-19, according to Rais Vohra, the interim health officer for Fresno County Department of Public Health.
Officials said the man is over the age of 65, but would not say if he had underlying health conditions, citing the man’s privacy. Health conditions like heart or lung disease have been contributing factors in fatal cases.
The man had a low-grade fever and was lethargic, Vohra said at a news briefing Sunday. He was tested without leaving his car to keep the risk of exposing others to a minimum.
“He did have several household contacts, so we did ask them to stay home. They were all asymptomatic and we’ll be monitoring them as well with daily phone calls,” Vohra said. “The patient himself is already feeling better as of this morning.”
Each person being monitored is asked to stay home and report any symptoms to health officials, as well as take their temperatures.
The health department said there is no immediate threat to the general public and officials are not recommending the cancellation of events or the closure of schools or buildings at this time.
Weekend events at UCSF Fresno and the Islamic Cultural Center Fresno were called off. And last week, the annual Kids Day fundraiser for Valley Children’s Hospital was canceled.
About 130 people have been monitored in Fresno County after traveling in recent months to countries known to have positive coronavirus cases, according to Dave Pomaville, director of Fresno County Public Health.
Pomaville said business owners and other organizations should begin to prepare for the potential of many employees having to stay home from work.
“This gives us opportunity to look at those plans and make sure we’re prepared as a community,” he said.
County health officials said they will continue to meet and speak with school officials.
Pomaville said Fresno County residents can take measures to avoid becoming infected, the same measures they should take during any flu season. That includes washing hands, covering up when coughing or sneezing and staying home if symptoms arise.
Second case in the Valley
This is the second case of the coronavirus impacting the Fresno-Madera area.
Earlier Saturday, Madera County confirmed its first case of the 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 Hospital’s director of emergency medicine.
Fresno County officials said they have plans in place to inform and protect all residents, limit exposures to any new cases if identified and address concerns as they arise.
The department 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.
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.
Bay Area
Two passengers were evacuated Saturday morning off the stricken Grand Princess cruise ship, which has been held off the coast of Northern California after 21 of its passengers tested positive for the coronavirus, according to news reports.
Princess Cruises said Saturday morning that “a critically ill U.S. guest and their travel companion were medically disembarked from Grand Princess earlier this morning by a U.S. Coast Guard cutter.” The company said they are being transported to an area hospital, but provided no further details.
The rest of the 3,531 passengers and crew are still awaiting an official announcement about plans to leave the ship, which has 20 remaining passengers aboard who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Sacramento Bee contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 8, 2020 at 11:41 AM.
