Most cases of COVID-19 are mild and the best care is to stay at home and rest. ~ Deputy Health Officer Dr. Steven Krager
COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, began in China and has now spread throughout the world, including to several counties in Washington.
Pacific County Health Department's Deputy Health Officer Dr. Steven Krager, Health Department Director Katie Lindstrom and Health Program Manager Stephanie Michael hosted a video conference with the Willapa Harbor Herald to provide information and answer questions on a potential local COVID-19 outbreak. Dr. Krager explained that the Pacific County Health Department is prepared to respond to a COVID-19 outbreak. The response will be similar to other infectious outbreaks, such as the measles, with resource and communication coordination, tracking and quarantines. Dr. Krager stated that "as in Seattle there are likely going to be cases in Pacific County. We will learn a lot more in the next few weeks."
How will the Pacific County Health Department provide the community with up to date information on COVID-19?
Lindstrom explained that people's first source of information on the coronavirus should be the Washington State Department of Health's website (doh.wa.gov). This site has a link on its home page to the "2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak." Another excellent source of information is the Washington Disease Reporting System (WDRS), which is an electronic disease surveillance system.
For data on the spread of the coronavirus Lindstrom referred to an interactive map showing the spread of the disease in real time developed at Johns Hopkins University. The Pacific County Health Department's website (pacificcountyhealthdepartment.com) also has information on the coronavirus and links to additional websites. These websites are all monitored and updated regularly.
Meetings are scheduled between local health care providers and the Pacific County Health Department this week to discuss issues related to COVID-19 and to make sure that "everyone is on the same page."
What is the recovery rate from COVID-19?
Dr. Krager responded that there is not reliable data on this yet. However, the data he has reviewed indicates that there have been approximately 92,000 confirmed cases worldwide with 50,000 documented recoveries and 3,000 deaths.
What is the current status of the coronavirus in Pacific County?
Dr. Krager explained that there are cases in King and Snohomish Counties. There have been no cases in southwest Washington and no cases have been tested in Pacific County. The first incident of COVID-19 in the state involved a man from Snohomish County who had recently traveled in China. The second case was a teenager with very mild symptoms, also living in Snohomish County, who had not traveled out of the country or had contact with a known coronavirus source. Tests have shown that both were infected with a genetically linked virus. This indicates that the virus spread more extensively within the community than has been realized. But the infections do not seem to have resulted in the same rate of severe illness as in China.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19, how is it treated and how can we prevent its spread?
Dr. Krager explained that the symptoms are not unique and are similar to those of the common cold or flu including cough, fever and muscle aches. More severe cases, which are rare, may include difficulty breathing, vomiting and diarrhea. Mild cases may have just a cough. With rest, symptoms will usually last one to two weeks. So far, the cases in Washington resulting in deaths have involved people with underlying health conditions, such as COPD, heart disease, renal failure and other problems. People with these conditions have less strength to respond to the infection, putting them at higher risk.
Right now, there is no medication to treat the virus. Most cases of COVID-19 are mild and the best care is to stay home and rest. Ibuprofen and aspirin may be used to relieve symptoms. To prevent the spread of this illness you should stay home if you are sick, wash your hands frequently for a full 20 seconds with soap and hot water, avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth and keep surfaces clean.
What should people do if they have symptoms?
Most cases are mild and require no medical treatment or care beyond rest. People who are concerned that they may have COVID-19 should call their primary care doctor. If they don't have a personal doctor, they can call the Pacific County Health Department or a local hospital. Dr. Krager emphasized that it is important to "call before you go in." If you do have the virus, avoiding a doctor's office, emergency room or other public space and following your doctor's directions will help prevent its spread. For mild cases the likely recommendation will be to stay home and rest.
Are our local hospitals prepared to deal with an outbreak of COVID-19? And can testing be done locally?
The health department is assessing our local capacities and coordinating information with health care providers. Local treatment options will depend on a patient's underlying condition. Severe cases may be transferred to regional hospitals. Michael said that the county health department is following up on all of these issues.
Testing begins with a nose swab taken locally and sent to one of two labs within Washington for analysis. The first option for testing is the state lab, which follows the federal Center for Disease Control's (CDC) requirements. To qualify for this test the patient must have traveled out of the country and have severe symptoms, which cannot be identified as another illness. As a second option, the University of Washington has recently begun testing without imposing the CDC's strict criteria. All tests must be pre-approved by the county health department. There have been no Pacific County patients tested to date.
Are you advising the local schools and other organizations on how to respond to a potential COVID-19 outbreak?
Dr. Krager said that the health department has been in touch with local schools and organizations regarding the likely spread of COVID-19. They are directing schools and others to the state's websites for information. Several schools in the Seattle area have closed, but the closures have not been based on state recommendations. He said that "we don't want to cause huge disruptions" and does not anticipate recommending school closures. He also noted "closures have not been found to contain the flu well", implying that they probably would also not effectively contain the spread of the coronavirus.
The health department is working on criteria that could be used for canceling public gatherings. Dr. Krager said that "they are keeping a close eye on the situation, but right now they are not recommending that people avoid public places or events."