· The second case of novel (new) coronavirus in Santa Clara County.
· The second case is not related to the first case.
· There is no immediate threat to the general public.
Santa Clara County. The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department received confirmation this morning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of a second case of the novel (new) coronavirus. This second case is in an adult female.
This Santa Clara County case is not related to the first case but they both had recently traveled to Wuhan, China. She is a visitor to this county and arrived January 23 to visit family. She has stayed home since she arrived, except for two times to seek outpatient medical care. She has been regularly monitored and was never sick enough to be hospitalized
Family members have also been isolated, which means that they do not leave the house, even to buy groceries. The Public Health Department provides food and other necessary items.
Since the investigation has just begun, further information about the individual will not be released at this time.
“I understand that people are concerned, but based on what we know today, the risk to general public remains low,” said Dr. Sara Cody, Health Officer, Santa Clara County. “A second case is not unexpected. With our large population and the amount of travel to China for both personal and business reasons, we will likely see more cases, including close contacts to our cases.”
Because much is unknow about how the novel coronavirus spreads, current knowledge is largely based on what is known about similar coronavirus.
Santa Clara County residents, students, workers, and visitors should continue to engage in their regular activities and practice good health hygiene since this is the height of flu season. Healthy people should not be excluded from activities based on their race, country of origin, or recent travel. Anyone with respiratory symptoms, such as a cough, sore throat, or fever, should stay home, practice proper cough etiquette and hand hygiene, and limit their contact with other people.
County of Santa Clara Public Health Department is working closely with the CDC, the California Public Health Department and other partners as the new coronavirus situation continues to change. Information will be updated as soon as possible on our website: http://sccphd.org/coronavirus
