Message from Northfield Hospital & Clinics:
Health officials continue to monitor the outbreak of respiratory illness caused by coronavirus – a new virus first detected in Wuhan City, China in early January.
Individuals are at risk of contracting coronavirus if they have traveled in China during January.
The immediate health risk to the general American public is low, reports the Center for Disease Control (CDC).No cases have been confirmed in Minnesota as of January 30. The CDC has identified five U.S. travel-related cases, one case in Illinois of person-to-person transmission linked to a travel-related case, and placed 165 persons under investigation as of January 30.
Symptoms appear within 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms include:
* Fever
* Cough
* Shortness of breath
If you recently traveled to China:
* If you experience fever, cough, or other acute illness, contact a health care provider as soon as possible and mention your recent travel.
* Please call ahead and inform the health care provider about your travel history. To reach the Northfield Hospital Emergency Department, call 507-646-1100.
* You will be asked to wear a mask and will be placed in a private room upon arrival.
You don’t need to avoid contact with people who recently traveled to China if they do not have symptoms of coronavirus. If you do have contact with someone who is diagnosed with coronavirus and you become ill with symptoms, contact your health care provider. Call ahead before going to the clinic or hospital. To reach the Northfield Hospital Emergency Department, call 507-646-1100.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus infection. There is no antiviral treatment – instead, patients get supportive care to help relieve symptoms.
Take the same precautions recommended for avoiding colds and flu:
* Wash your hands.
* Stay home when you are sick.
* Cover your cough.
Minnesota Department of Health provides updated information as coronavirus investigations unfold: http://bit.ly/mdh-coronavirus
This is CDC’s description of the attached photo (credit: CDC):
Description:
This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. This virus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.
