The new coronavirus virus, officially named COVID-19, emerged in late December as a cluster of pneumonia-like cases linked to a live animal and seafood market in Wuhan, located in China’s Hubei province. Since then, the numbers have been growing dramatically every day. A global public health emergency was declared last month.
The vast majority of cases are in China, where the number of confirmed cases has surpassed 75,000. It continues to spread globally and the total of confirmed cases in Italy jumped from three to 132 over the weekend.
The U.S. now has 53 coronavirus cases, most of them passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
Are there any cases in Georgia?
There are no confirmed cases in Georgia.
However, there are nearly 200 Georgia residents being quarantined in their homes after returning from recent trips to China. Each day or so, some of those in quarantine complete the 14 days, which is considered the incubation period for the virus, while new residents who recently traveled to China get added to the list. Those in quarantine at home are being asked to monitor themselves for illness and report to local officials any symptoms of the coronavirus, such as coughing. An electronic registry keeps track of the quarantines.
MORE: Close to 200 Georgia residents are being monitored for coronavirus
What are U.S. and Georgia authorities doing to contain coronavirus?
On Feb. 2, the U.S. began quarantining Americans who had recently visited China’s Hubei province, where the disease originated. The federal government is also requiring screening and self-quarantines for all other Americans who recently visited any other parts of China. There are no recent travelers to Hubei province being quarantined in Georgia.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection started reviewing airline passengers’ itineraries and passports after the travel restrictions were instituted earlier this month. All commercial passenger flights between Atlanta and China have been temporarily suspended. But the federal agency is providing the Georgia Department of Public Health with the names of state residents who have recently traveled to China, but flew back to the U.S. from other countries.
Georgia health officials have been calling each traveler who recently visited China to discuss the required 14-day period of staying home and stressed the importance of notifying authorities of any potential symptoms of the virus. Those under quarantine were all given an online tool that tracks their time in isolation and notifies them when the required confinement time is over.
Local health officials and hospitals are on high alert. Hospitals are asking sick patients about travel histories and have quarantine areas in place. Local experts say Georgia’s screening, training and preparations to treat emerging diseases are better than ever, driven by concerns about other infections, such as Ebola and SARS, another coronavirus. Curtis Harris, the director of the University of Georgia’s Institute for Disaster Management, said Georgia hospitals and other health care facilities have developed plans to accommodate sudden increases in the number of patients seeking care.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recently released a diagnostic test for the new coronavirus. It is distributing it to labs across the country to expand capacity to test for the virus.
» RELATED: Atlanta’s Chinese community has especially deep worry about coronavirus
» MORE: The flu more of a threat in Georgia than new coronavirus
What do I need to do?
The CDC says the immediate risk to the U.S. general public is low at this time. Experts say the most effective way to protect against coronavirus is the same as the flu — wash your hands with soap and water, avoid touching your nose and mouth and stay away from sick people.
Face masks are critical for health care workers but otherwise only recommended for people who have COVID-19 or are showing symptoms to prevent the spread. Those cheap disposable masks, which cover the nose and mouth, often don’t fit properly and are far from fool-proof.
How worried should I be?
There are still many unknowns about COVID-19 but preliminary figures suggest the fatality rate is about 3%, much less than its cousin, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, which killed about 10% of infected patients during the 2003 outbreak.
The SARS epidemic, which also began in China, killed 774 people worldwide. There was a total of eight cases in the U.S. and none in Georgia.
Local experts say the flu remains a greater health threat in Georgia. Close to 2,000 people in metro Atlanta have been hospitalized for flu-related illnesses this season. Some 57 people in the state have died.
MORE: Stock market falls on coronavirus concern? Advisers still suggest calm
Support real journalism. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today. See offers.
Your subscription to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution funds in-depth reporting and investigations that keep you informed. Thank you for supporting real journalism.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFqYy5jb20vbGlmZXN0eWxlcy93aGF0LXlvdS1uZWVkLWtub3ctYWJvdXQtY29yb25hdmlydXMteW91LWxpdmUtZ2VvcmdpYS9KTTkyMnp2bnJHMHkzMlVWNHBScnhLL9IBdGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFqYy5jb20vbGlmZXN0eWxlcy93aGF0LXlvdS1uZWVkLWtub3ctYWJvdXQtY29yb25hdmlydXMteW91LWxpdmUtZ2VvcmdpYS9KTTkyMnp2bnJHMHkzMlVWNHBScnhLL2FtcC5odG1s?oc=5
2020-02-25 10:53:36Z
52780632084382
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "What you need to know about coronavirus if you live in Georgia - Atlanta Journal Constitution"
Post a Comment