Credit: CDC
Late Tuesday night, Bucks County officials reported the first two “presumed positive” COVID-19 cases in the county.
The cases involve two adults who live together. They are in isolation and have minor symptoms from COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus.
“Their names, gender, occupations and community of residence will not be released to protect their identities,” a statement from the county said. Larry King, the chief spokesperson for the county, said regulations restrict them from releasing additional information.
As of Tuesday night, Delaware, Monroe, Philadelphia, and Wayne counties have all reported one case each of COVID-19. Montgomery County, which borders Bucks County, has reported eight cases. Across the river, A Burlington County, New Jersey, resident who works in Robbinsville, Mercer County, has tested presumptive positive for COVID-19.
None of those infected in Pennsylvania have died from the virus as of late Tuesday night.
Dr. David Damsker, director of the Bucks County Health Department, received word on the positive cases late in the day after the test specimens were returned from the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s laboratory in Chester County.
The two cases are not a result of community spread, which means the COVID-19 spread did not come from Bucks County, officials said.
“Getting a case here in Bucks County was simply a matter of time,” Damsker said. “Given that the vast majority of those infected, including our two cases, will have mild symptoms, I want to continue to stress that we remain calm, while taking the virus seriously.”
County health workers will be spending time working to identify those who came into contact with the two sick Buck Countians.
Those who came into contact with the two since they began showing symptoms will be asked to self-quarantine for a 14-day period, officials said.
“Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who may have a contagious disease,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said Tuesday afternoon.
Governments across the country have been chided for releasing limited information on those who test positive for COVID-19. Without further information, the public is not clear if they may have had contact with someone who is infected.
State officials, including Gov. Tom Wolf, will hold a press conference Wednesday afternoon to discuss the COVID-19 cases.
County officials released the following preventive steps:
- Frequent hand-washing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
- Avoiding close contact (within six feet) with people who are sick
- Avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose and mouth
- Staying home when sick
- Covering one’s coughs or sneezes with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces with household cleaning sprays or wipes
Wearing face masks during one’s daily routine is not recommended by the CDC as an effective preventive measure against COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. However, people with symptoms of COVID-19, health workers and people who are taking care of an ill person in close settings are advised to wear masks to help keep the virus from spreading.
The incubation period for a person exposed to COVID-19 – the time between exposure and first appearance of symptoms – is between two and 14 days. Those who have been in contact with a person known to have COVID-19, or those who have traveled recently to areas where there have been outbreaks, are asked to self-quarantine themselves for 14 days from the time of potential exposure.
According to Damsker, county health department continues to contact all travelers returning here from countries where there have been COVID-19 outbreaks, directing them to self-quarantine and helping them monitor for symptoms of the virus.
At this time, testing for COVID-19 can be conducted only at CDC and the PA DOH laboratory. It is expected that hospital and commercial labs also will have this capability soon.
County health officials are working with healthcare providers and PA DOH to determine on a case-by-case basis whether testing is appropriate. This is done in the interest of not depleting resources by testing every person who has a respiratory illness.
Much remains unknown about COVID-19, including fatality rates. Early indications are that children are at much lower risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and, as with influenza, the elderly and those with immunosuppressive conditions are at higher risk of severe illness.
Current reports of fatality rates are most likely overestimates, Damsker said, given that most of those infected have had either asymptomatic or mild infections. While that is positive news, he added, it makes the virus easier to spread unnoticed by those with minor or no symptoms.
Because there is currently no medication or vaccine for COVID-19, Damsker said, simple preventive steps such as good hygiene, avoiding sick people and staying home from work when sick are the best course of action.
Please continue to refer to trusted, credible sources of accurate and up-to-date information, including:
- CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
- PA DOH: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx
