Industry News
Placer County Public Health has received confirmation that a Placer resident has tested presumptively positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), pending confirmatory testing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the first confirmed case in Placer County.
Nevada County officials have repeatedly said there are no cases in this county.
The individual is a NorthBay VacaValley Hospital health care worker who had close contact with a confirmed case in Solano County, prior to that case being transferred to another hospital and later tested for the virus. The Placer County patient is currently isolated at home with mild symptoms.
No further details about this case will be shared to protect patient privacy.
“We have expected to see cases of COVID-19 in Placer County and have been planning and preparing accordingly,” said Placer County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson. “Given recent evidence of community spread occurring elsewhere in California, we are now encouraging the public to prepare for the likelihood of local community spread here as well, unrelated to this case.”
In coordination with partners at the CDC, the California Department of Public Health and Solano County Public Health, Placer County Public Health is tracing individuals who have had close contact with this new case and are at risk of infection. Those individuals will be quarantined and monitored.
“As always, our top priority is the health and safety of our patients, our staff, physicians and the community,” said Aimee Brewer, president of NorthBay HealthCare Group. “We are tracing all contacts this worker had in our organization and sharing that information with public health officials in both Solano and Placer counties. We are working with the California Department of Public Health, the CDC and local public health departments to ensure we are following the most up-to-date protocols and procedures for dealing with this evolving situation.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 range from mild to severe and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
“As this case illustrates, health care workers are often on the front lines when we battle infectious diseases like COVID-19,” said Sisson. “But each one of us also plays a role in keeping our community healthy and safe. We understand folks may feel some anxiety about this evolving situation, but there are simple ways to turn that anxiety into action.”
Members of the general public should take simple steps to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses including COVID-19:
- Washing hands with liquid soap and water, and rubbing for at least 20 seconds, or using alcohol-based sanitizer if soap and water are not available;
- Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing;
- Staying home if you are sick; and
- Regularly cleaning surfaces touched by many people.
Healthy people do not need to use a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. People who are sick and must go out can wear a face mask to reduce the spread of germs.
In addition, Placer County Public Health recommends residents start thinking about preparedness in the event of local community spread, planning ahead for potential disruption to daily life at work, school or home. Public Health is working with partners in health care, education, business, law enforcement, and others to prepare.
Please visit Placer County’s novel coronavirus web page for preparedness resources and updates.
