Is the coronavirus a threat to Southern Illinois? Here are 5 things you should know.
As Illinois public health officials announced plans Wednesday for preventing the spread of the coronavirus, local health departments made their own preparations to respond.
While only two cases have been confirmed in Illinois, officials are busy behind the scenes, said Marsha Wild, a nurse at the St. Clair County Health Department. Belleville Memorial Hospital was screening one patient for coronavirus, according to a Thursday statement.
“Prevention efforts are generally not seen,” Wild said. “It looks like we’re not doing anything, but we’re very busy. Preventing illness is a huge effort that is so important. It can save lives.”
With the disease spreading outside China, U.S. authorities warned this week that the coronavirus could become a pandemic, spreading worldwide.
Illinois was the first state to provide testing, and the department of public health is working to increase the number of tests they can conduct. The state also set up a hotline for answering questions (1-800-889-3931, dph.sick@illinois.gov).
Here are five things Southern Illinoisans should know about preventing spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19.
What is the risk of getting coronavirus?
The risk is still low in Illinois, according to the state health department. The two people with confirmed cases were husband and wife. The wife contracted coronavirus while in China and it spread to her husband because of their proximity.
Illinois health officials have tested a total of 70 people. Results came back positive for two and 66 tested negative. Tests for two were still pending Wednesday afternoon.
Nonetheless, officials expect cases to multiply, Capitol News Illinois reported Wednesday, citing Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but more really a question of when it will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illness,” Messonnier said in a briefing.
A total of 14 U.S cases had been confirmed as of Wednesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Twelve cases were travel-related and two were spread from person to person within the country.
What’s my health department doing about coronavirus?
County health agencies are operating under “heightened surveillance to identify and test patients” suspected of having coronavirus, according to the state health department.
A person suspected of having coronavirus would be placed in isolation immediately, officials said. Department health care providers would then contact an area hospital or acute care facility capable of isolating a patient and gathering samples.
The patient would be evaluated and possibly tested for the virus, depending on risk factors such as where they’ve traveled and who they’ve been in contact with. Because testing can now be done in-state, results are typically available within 24 hours.
Providers who suspect a patient might have the virus should report the case within three hours to their local health department. The department is expected to report the case to the state, also within three hours.
If you recently traveled to mainland China or another coronavirus outbreak area or have had contact with someone who did, and if you have developed symptoms including a cough, fever or shortness of breath, contact your local county health department to arrange for an assessment.
What are the chances I could die from coronavirus?
Nearly 3,000 people worldwide have died from coronavirus, but the chances of fatalities are still relatively low in the U.S.
The deadliness of an outbreak is often measured by the case fatality rate, or the ratio of deaths to the total number of cases in a given area. Within China, the overall fatality rate is 2.3%.
The older you are, the greater the risk, Chinese health officials determined in a study released earlier this month. For those younger than 50, the death rate was less than 1%, a number that increases to nearly 15% for people over 80.
In the U.S., most cases have been mild. The likelihood of death in those cases is low and the same goes even for severe cases. Critical cases occurred mostly in older people and those with preexisting conditions.
The same conditions studied in the Chinese report are not necessarily an indicator of the potential U.S. fatality rate, because of differences in prevention efforts and the population’s overall health.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy we did this story
Since its outbreak in December of 2019, the novel coronavirus has been diagnosed in at least 47 countries, including several confirmed cases in Illinois. The spread will continue, according to both the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization, since vaccines are still months away. The fatality rate in China, where coronavirus was initially diagnosed, is about 2.3%. That compares to about .1% worldwide for the flu. Additionally, the unchecked spread of illness causes disruptions to employers, health care systems and the economy. We hope this information encourages vigilance by our readers so that they can keep their families and communities safe and healthy.
What’s it like to have coronavirus?
Symptoms can appear anytime from two days to two weeks after exposure, according to the CDC. Coronavirus symptoms are similar to other upper respiratory infections: fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath.
The symptoms might be mild and include a slight sore throat or cough. Serious cases come with a high fever and severe flu-like symptoms.
There is no antiviral treatment for coronavirus, so all health care providers can do is treat symptoms, according to the CDC. Those symptoms can be deadly, and patients with severe cases could need care to support vital organ functions.
ABC News interviewed one California man about what it feels like to have the virus. Carl Goldman, 66, described a fever, fatigue and coughing up mucus. Doctors constantly checked his temperature in a quarantined environment. They also provided a steady flow of Gatorade to ensure Goldman didn’t become dehydrated.
Patients such as Goldman are continuously tested after their symptoms clear before they’re allowed to leave isolation, ABC reported.
What can I do to avoid getting coronavirus?
Just like flu prevention, the coronavirus can be prevented with simple hygiene practices: washing hands thoroughly, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, avoiding contact with sick people, staying at home when you are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
The flu remains a bigger threat to Illinoisans because it is still much more common. Five children have died from the flu in the 2019-2020 flu season in Illinois, according to the health department.
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
