Sacramento County declares public health emergency amid coronavirus
Sacramento County declared both a public health emergency and a local emergency Thursday, assuring that its public health team will receive the funding and appropriate resources to respond to the new coronavirus.
“Our intent in proclaiming a state of emergency in response to the spread of COVID-19 is to ensure uninterrupted access to the resources necessary to keep people as safe as possible and lessen disease transmission,” said Supervisor Phil Serna, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “The proclamation should not be considered a reason for elevated concern; in fact, it is quite the opposite as it helps us in our mission to contain the virus.”
Sacramento County has reported three confirmed cases of coronavirus, and one of those has recovered. The local proclamation follows the Wednesday announcement by California Gov. Gavin Newsom that he was declaring a state of emergency. Local governments will qualify for expanded federal and state funding only if they make these proclamations.
Sacramento County continues to work closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the California Department of Public Health on coordinated testing, investigations and providing guidance and assistance to health providers in monitoring for acute respiratory illness and gathering information to detect new cases for laboratory testing and confirming infection. The new coronavirus, the seventh zoonotic pathogen from this family to spill over into humans, causes fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
As public health officials continue their work to contain the virus, a growing number of local residents are receiving notices that the agency has put people in their sphere into self-isolation. On Thursday, for instance, parents of children at Leonardo da Vinci K-8 School received an email from Sacramento City Unified School District telling them a family in the school was exposed to COVID-19 and has been asked to remain at home.
“At this time, no one in the family has any symptoms,” said Deon Davis, the school’s principal. “Out of an abundance of caution, a dedicated team from the district facility department was assigned to deep clean the entire campus last night. Sacramento County Public Health has reassured us that all school activities should continue as normal.”
These announcements came as the numbers of cases continue to rise across California. Four more cases were reported Thursday in Los Angeles County, which on Wednesday declared a local emergency. The four were part of a group of travelers announced by health officials Wednesday who were in northern Italy. The number of Los Angeles County cases is now 11.
Two coronavirus cases were also announced in San Francisco, where health officials say the two new cases were likely through community transmission of COVID-19.
“We do not know at this time how they were exposed to the virus, which suggests it is spreading in the community,” health director Dr. Grant Colfax said in a statement. “We expected that to happen and are further investigating the circumstances of these patients’ exposure.”
The patients are not related and have not traveled to locations with confirmed COVID-19 cases, health officials said as San Francisco Mayor London Breed urged calm. Breed, who last week declared a local health emergency, said her city has been “increasing resources and staffing to prepare for the community spread of this virus.”
The patients are being treated in isolation at two different San Francisco hospitals, city officials said in a statement earlier Thursday. One of the patients, identified by San Francisco city officials as a man in his 90s, is in serious condition. The second patient, a woman in her 40s, is in fair condition. Both were tested Wednesday by a San Francisco Department of Public Health lab.
San Francisco is also where the Grand Princess, the cruise ship that carried the Placer County man who became the first to die of the virus at a Roseville hospital, is off shore and, for now, forbidden to dock.
The U.S. Centers and Disease Control and Prevention, state health and emergency services officials and the U.S. Coast Guard are checking if COVID-19 is present aboard the Grand Princess.
There is no cure or vaccine for COVID-19, but public health officials recommend practicing these habits to prevent it:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue. Throw used tissues in the trash immediately.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 4:27 PM.
