Tulare County Public Health Branch and Kaweah Delta Report Second Confirmed Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Tulare County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Haught has announced that a second individual has tested positive for COVID-19 in Tulare County. The individual is in stable condition and self-isolating at home. It is known that the individual traveled out of the area to the Bay Area before showing symptoms. Tulare County Public Health Branch is currently conducting an investigation with Kaweah Delta, where the patient presented to be tested. Due to protected health information requirements and to maintain the patient’s identity, we are not able to further disclose information about this case.

 

“We are hoping this patient recovers fully,” said, Dr. Karen Haught, Tulare County Public Health Officer. “The safety and well-being of our community remains our top priority and our staff are working around the clock to ensure our community remains safe.”

 

Tulare County Public Health Branch continues to work with Kaweah Delta Hospital the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to locate and identify people who may have been in close contact with the individual.

 

“We are committed to the health and safety of this community and we continue to work tremendously hard to ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep patients, staff, and visitors safe,” said Gary Herbst, Kaweah Delta’s Chief Executive Officer. “We have a dedicated team that works on infection prevention measures year-round, but we established a dedicated task force to help us improve our plan as COVID-19 has evolved.”

 

COVID-19 can be controlled by appropriate public health action such as surveillance, identification and isolation of cases, infection control, intense contact tracing, and isolation of persons who may have been exposed to COVID-19. Although it may seem like an inconvenience, it is temporary and essential for containment.

 

If community members have traveled to other areas with community transmission or areas of risk or have a fever with lower respiratory symptoms and trouble breathing, we ask that you call your primary care physician for further assistance, 2-1-1 for questions about COVID-19 or to be placed into contact with our communicable disease staff, and call before you visit a local hospital.

 

The COVID-19 infection can be transmitted from person to person via airborne droplets such as coughing or sneezing. It is highly contagious and characterized by either mild cold-like symptoms, or it can be a more severe lung infection with a fever.

 

It has been determined that the first individual who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus traveled to Southern California shortly prior to experiencing symptoms. Sierra View Hospital and HHSA have identified and notified the individuals who may have come into contact with the patient. Those individuals are now under self-quarantine.