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Gov. Andy Beshear and state health officials addressed the media and the public to update on the status of the Coronavirus in the state and steps for prevention.
Courier JournalFRANKFORT — State officials have monitored more than 100 Kentuckians who have been to China for signs and symptoms of the coronavirus, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday afternoon.One person who was ill was tested, but the results came back negative for coronavirus, Beshear said.While Kentucky has so far avoided any confirmed cases of the virus, local and state health departments are tracking travelers to China who returned in the last two weeks, asking them to self-isolate, avoid public gatherings and report their temperatures and any symptoms daily, the governor said.Meanwhile, Louisville-area hospitals are screening for the disease and preparing for its spread just in case, including ensuring they have quarantine areas ready for potential patients.Baptist Health, Norton Healthcare and the University of Louisville Health say they’re following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for screening incoming patients who show symptoms of the disease.Dr. James Frazier, vice president for medical affairs for Norton Healthcare, said patients who have been to China and exhibit coronavirus symptoms will have their case escalated to the infection prevention program to determine whether they should be placed in isolation.Norton Healthcare has escalated the cases of two or three patients, Frazier said, and only tested one patient for the virus. The result was negative, he said.Related: Louisville hospitals are screening for coronavirus, preparing for quarantinesCLOSE
With a viral outbreak prompting the WHO to declare a global health emergency, let’s take a look at what a coronavirus is.
Courier JournalIn the event of a local coronavirus case, area hospitals have multiple negative pressure rooms — hospital rooms in which the air flows into an isolation room, but not out of it — which is what the CDC recommends, along with standard respiratory disease precautions.These same rooms are used for patients with influenza or tuberculosis with similar protocols in place until their symptoms are resolved or they are confirmed not to have the disease.The hospitals also say they are monitoring their supply of gloves, respirator masks and gowns in case they must treat patients with the virus or the supply chain gets interrupted.Infectious disease specialist Dr. Forest Arnold said U of L Health is also working to get involved with research relating to the virus.”We are hoping to participate in studies to screen people for the virus, to test different drugs, and even contribute to the national push for the vaccine,” he said.Beshear said the State Health Operations Center has been activated at Level Two, which means the state is focused on preparedness, planning and response activities.”I want to reassure everyone that your state government, your local health departments, everyone is prepared and is ready to address this issue head-on,” Beshear said, “and I feel very strongly that our work will have us prepared if and when we see a confirmed case.”See also: McConnell accuses Schumer of ‘political game-playing’ on coronavirusDr. Steven Stack, Department of Public Health commissioner, said the “potential global public health threat is high, but the immediate risk to Kentuckians is low.”Stack said any suspected coronavirus cases out of Kentucky are being tested at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is headquartered in Atlanta, and that the CDC has committed to returning results to the state within 24 hours.”There are labs in the state, diagnostic labs, that are getting ramped up and we hope within a matter of days we’ll be able to provide those tests here in Frankfort,” Stack said.The CDC gives guidance on who should be monitored, Stack said. Because 95% of global cases originated in China, travelers there are approached about voluntary monitoring.”I think people should take good confidence that our fellow Kentuckians have overwhelmingly, voluntarily complied with that request out of consideration for all of our well-being, as well as their own,” Stack said.As the situation continues to evolve globally, so will the need for monitoring within Kentucky, he said.As the federal government debates how much funding may be needed for the coronavirus, Beshear said, “if we end up in a situation where federal funds are needed, you can bet I will ask for them.”More on coronavirus: Town once riddled with HIV hopes Pence learned a lessonCLOSE
Dr. Sarah Moyer, Chief Health Strategist and Director, Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness speaks about the coronavirus Mayor Greg Fischer.
Courier JournalIn the Louisville area, about 10 people are self-monitoring for the coronavirus, the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness said Thursday. Spokesman Dave Langdon said those people are at a very low risk to get or spread the COVID-19 strain of the virus, but they’ve traveled to China recently, though “not even close to the infected area.” Self-monitoring just means that they’ve traveled, but “basically they’re at low risk.” Rui Zhao, Louisville’s chief epidemiologist, said each person signed a “self-monitoring agreement” to not leave their homes during the two-week period and take their temperature each day and share it with the city’s health department.“Once the people have been here for two weeks and there’s no chance of the disease developing then we stop monitoring,” said Dr. Sarah Moyer, director of the city’s health department. There are 60 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus strain in the United States, including a California patient believed to be the first in the U.S. to have gotten it from an “unknown” source.There have been more than 82,500 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus worldwide, most of them in China. More than 2,800 people have died from the virus, mostly in China.Coronavirus news:Got facial hair? CDC warns you may want to shaveReporters Sarah Ladd, Billy Kobin and Emma Austin contributed to this report. Reach Tessa Duvall at tduvall@courier-journal.com and 502-582-4059. Twitter: @TessaDuvall. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe. Read or Share this story: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/02/27/coronavirus-kentucky-50-people-louisville-self-monitoring/4886895002/
