New coronavirus cases in Los Angeles, Orange County, other California communities
Los Angeles recorded a new coronavirus case on Tuesday, with Kaiser Permanente announcing it was treating a patient.
“Kaiser Permanente is overseeing the care of a coronavirus patient who is home in self-isolation and being treated on an outpatient basis. We are in touch with and monitoring the patient,†Kaiser said in a statement.
No other details were available.
Hours earlier, Orange County officials announced two presumptive coronavirus cases, both of whom had recently been in countries where the virus has spread.
Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now looking to confirm those results.
At least five Northern California counties reported new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. On Tuesday, the city of Berkeley reported its first case after an individual visited a country with an outbreak. That individual has remained at home in a self-imposed quarantine since returning.
More hand sanitizers in galleries. More sinks to wash hands. For arts institutions mapping out contingency plans amid the coronavirus crisis, that’s just the start.
“While the risk of infection remains low, the expanded presence of the virus in our community is a reality we should all prepare for,†said Berkeley Public Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez. “There are steps that all of us in the community can take now to improve basic hygiene and also prepare for a wider spread in the future.â€
Contra Costa County also reported a case, and Placer County reported a second case.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that the California Department of Public Health received approval from the CDC and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to dip into its emergency planning reserves of 21 million N95 face masks for medical workers on the front lines.
Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, delivering a message to the American public, reiterated that point.
“I want them to be prepared for the reality that ... there are going to be more cases in the community,†he said. “But I want them to continue their daily lives. I want them to be mindful of the opportunity again to prepare themselves and their families.â€
Battling coronavirus, California distributing millions of face masks to healthcare providers
Redfield said scientists do not have the data to predict the disease’s future spread.
“What we do know for sure, that in the right setting, it does have the potential to move quickly,†he said. “When you think that just a couple of weeks ago there were less than three cases in Korea, now there’s 2,500.â€
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