As news emerged Saturday that the unique coronavirus had claimed its first U.S. victim — a King County man in his 50 s without any recognized travel contacts– federal government and health care officials gotten ready for the quickly broadening outbreak while trying to tamp down fears that the healthcare system might be pushed to its limitations.
Schools, airports, and transit firms were rolling out procedures to slow the spread of the extremely transmittable breathing illness, and on Monday the Seattle Fire Department plans on launching “tabletop exercises” to design various coronavirus transmission situations.
” We do feel that the risk to the public is increasing, but … we do not feel that transmission is occurring on a widespread basis by any ways,” stated Dr. Kathy Lofy, the Washington state health officer, during a Saturday press conference in downtown Seattle.
On Saturday, several regional medical facilities said they were shifting their strategy for identifying and dealing with the new coronavirus. Until now, health centers screened patients based on where they had recently taken a trip, and whether they had contact with a person who evaluated positive.
However with the recent development of brand-new cases, medical facilities are broadening their focus to individuals who have both a fever and pneumonialike signs however have not traveled, stated Dr. Chris Dale, primary quality officer at Swedish Health Providers. ” Our screening has followed the development,” he said.
Medical facilities also stated they were attempting to divert clients with moderate symptoms, encouraging them to stay at home and call a health care supplier rather of going to an emergency clinic. That allows healthcare facilities to concentrate on the most severe cases.
One focus of concern was at the long-lasting care facility Life Care Center in Kirkland, where 2 clients evaluated favorable. Life Care Center is keeping an eye on locals and workers for particular signs– fever, cough and shortness of breath– to differentiate possible cases of the coronavirus from the various cold and flulike symptoms “normal this time of year,” according to a declaration released by the center.
It may send more patients to the hospital for official screening, which is not being carried out at the center.
Nancy Butner, northwest divisional vice president of Life Care Centers of America,