As the first cases of coronavirus in Georgia were revealed, the Cobb and Douglas Public Health Department has issued a statement about the outbreak.
The alert was issued prior to a late-night press conference Monday by Gov. Brian Kemp confirming two cases of COVID-19 in Fulton County.
They’re a father and son, and one of them had traveled back recently from Milan, Italy, which is experiencing an outbreak of the virus.
During the press conference, state health officials said the two individuals were in home quarantine and in communication with their doctor.
More than 90,000 people have contracted coronavirus, a highly contagious illness, in nearly 80 countries around the world. More than 3,000 deaths have been reported, mostly in China.
The only deaths thus far in the U.S. have been in Washington State, where on Tuesday a ninth fatality was confirmed.
The Cobb/Douglas statement contains a basic explanation of the virus, along with preventative measures, such as thorough hand-washing, and that all testing is being done by the state at this time.
The statement said coronavirus spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and that symptoms appear between two and 14 days after exposure. They include:
- runny nose
- headache
- cough
- shortness of breath
- fever
- a general feeling of being unwell.
Here’s more about the local response, as the number of cases is expected to grow:
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Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) is preparing internally, as well as with the state and the CDC to slow or prevent community spread. We are working with our partners, including the local governments, healthcare organizations, businesses, first responders, and local school districts to ensure our community is prepared for a potential COVID-19 outbreak.
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We are reaching out to our county Boards of Health, emergency management agencies, chambers of commerce, and other partners who may need our guidance and are sending them guidance on how to prepare their organizations.
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CDPH staff receive frequent updates from the CDC and the Georgia Department of Public Health. These updates include information on the current situation abroad and in the U.S., testing, surveillance, quarantine, and more. This helps shape our local response.
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CDPH has a previously-developed pandemic influenza plan that can serve as a template for responding to other outbreaks of severe respiratory disease, like COVID-19. We are reviewing our plan and are also prepared to implement specific COVID-19 guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the CDC as the situation evolves.
The Cobb County School District last week sent out a notice about the coronavirus, including a statement from the Georgia Department of Public Health, as well as an updated FAQ Tuesday following the confirmation of the Georgia cases:
The District will continue to stay in constant communication with Georgia Department of Health officials and will follow their guidance every step of the way in order to keep our students and staff safe. Our schools continue to remind students and staff on how to prevent the spread of illness including hand washing, covering mouths when they cough, and keeping their hands away from their face. Parents are urged to keep students at home if they have any symptoms of sickness.
Should a staff member or student become ill, Cobb Schools already has a reporting protocol in place regarding infectious diseases, which is part of the District’s Infectious Disease Response Plan. The District will use guidance from public health officials to update and apply the plan to respond to COVID-19.
DPH has also issued guidance about the coronavirus, which was first diagnosed in December in Wuhan, China.
The federal Centers for Disease Control has issued its highest alerts for China and Iran, recommending against non-essential travel there, and that entry by foreign nationals from those countries has been suspended.
U.S. travelers are being advised against non-essential trips to South Korea and Italy, and older adults or those with chronic medical conditions not visit Japan.
More CDC coronavirus information can be found here.
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