Jago Times "English Edition" Best Online Newspaper
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — CORONAVIRUS CRISIS AT MEMORIAL HERMANN:
Memorial Hermann hospital released a statement Saturday afternoon saying 11 health care workers who were in direct contact with a patient confirmed positive for COVID-19 have been asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Although it was initially reported that only one of the workers is showing minor symptoms, Memorial Hermann now says there are three. All 11 are being tested and monitored.
“During an initial visit to one of our facilities, one of the confirmed cases did not present with symptoms, relevant travel or potential exposure that would have immediately prompted CDC testing protocols. Three days later, and once it was known that passengers on the Egypt cruise had been exposed to COVID-19, one of the patients returned to one of our facilities and was tested. The potential exposure to our healthcare workers was related to the first visit only.”
In a press conference Saturday, officials with Memorial Hermann ensured the public that coronavirus appears to be a “mild-to-moderate respiratory illness” that they say most people can treat at home.
Dr. John Butler said the patient at Memorial Hermann arrived about a week ago with symptoms after traveling to Egypt with the group that includes other Houston patients.
He says the patient was discharged, but brought back in for testing when more information was provided to the public about other coronavirus cases on the same trip.
The patient’s test came back positive Friday. Butler says all 11 health care providers who came in contact with the patient have been tested, and results are pending.
Information about what Memorial Hermann location the patient was treated at was not released out of concerns for public panic.
Watch the video above to see Saturday’s press conference.
HOUSTON AREA CORONAVIRUS CASE LINKED TO ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC SCHOOL:
One of the people who tested positive in the Houston-area coronavirus cases may have visited the church at St. Cecilia’s School in west Houston, said Harris County Public Health.
Harris County Public Health #PublicHealth✔@hcphtx
Harris County Public Health (HCPH) epidemiologists have been in contact with St. Cecilia Catholic Church in West Houston as part of their contact investigation.#coronavirus #COVID19
Full Notice below
On Friday, St. Cecilia Catholic School released a message saying an individual who tested positive for the coronavirus had attended mass on Wednesday, Feb. 26 around 5:30 p.m.
“We were informed that the individual sat in the last pew on the left side of the church,” the press release stated.
WATCH: ABC13 breaks down everything we know about the coronavirus outbreak
Students at the school attended mass around 8:15 a.m. and didn’t return to the church again until Thursday, March 5. The rest of the school returned Friday morning.
The church has taken appropriate safety measures to clean and sanitize the area. St. Cecilia’s School will remain open.
The school is urging anyone who sat in the last three rows on the left side at the 5:30 p.m. mass to contact Harris County Public Health at 713-439-6000 and seek medical attention immediately if they notice any symptoms.
St. Cecilia Parish has taken the following to help protect its parishioners:
- We drained and sanitized the baptismal fonts; it will not be filled for the remainder of the Lenten season
- We sanitized pews, door handles, and bathrooms
- We are providing hand sanitizers at all the church entrances
The person who tested positive for the virus was one of the eight people who has tested positive in the Houston-area. They’ve all been linked to a cruise on the Nile River in Egypt.
EGYPTIAN RIVER CRUISE DETAILS:
Eight cases of coronavirus in the Houston area and three cases in Maryland appear to be connected to a river cruise in Egypt.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said in a news conference Friday that three cases of coronavirus in that state involved people who had traveled on a river cruise in Egypt.
“All three of these individuals contracted the virus on the M.S. Asara, an Egyptian cruise on the Nile River,” said Hogan.
He also said the cases appear to be related to the Texas cases, “Our three Maryland cases appear to be linked to six confirmed coronavirus cases in Texas.”
All of the Covid-19 cases in the Houston area involve the same group who traveled to Egypt.
The Fort Bend County Health and Human Services reported two additional “presumptive positive” cases of COVID-19 in Fort Bend County Friday evening.
They say the two cases are both women in their 60s with a history of international travel.
One woman’s symptoms have resolved, and she is quarantined in her home. The other woman is experiencing mild symptoms and is quarantined at home.
Both individuals are part of the same group of 17 travelers to Egypt associated with the recent coronavirus cases in Harris County and the City of Houston.
This new development brings the total cases in Fort Bend County to three.
NEW CITY OF HOUSTON CASE
The City of Houston says it has a second case of coronavirus within its city limits Friday afternoon.
A woman between the ages of 60-70 years old is part of the same group of 17 travelers to Egypt.
Her case is associated with recent cases announced in Fort Bend County and Harris County.
Authorities say she is currently hospitalized and stable, and an investigation is underway to identify potential contacts exposed to the virus.
“This new case in Houston is not unexpected because it’s among the same group of international travelers associated with other cases in the Houston area,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “There remains no evidence of community spread, no need to alter our normal activity in Houston and certainly no reason to let fear grip our lives.”
Authorities with the Health Department said there were 17 people in the Houston-area on the trip to Egypt. All of the travelers are being monitored.
The woman was tested and confirmed by CDC.
SEE ALSO: Busting 5 of the biggest coronavirus myths
RICE UNIVERSITY SUSPENDS INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Rice University said Friday that they have taken precautions on campus after one of their employees, who was also on the Egypt trip, was confirmed as a “presumptive positive” case Thursday night.
Rice officials say they have sanitized Keck Hall multiple times and custodians are providing additional cleaning throughout campus.
In a statement, they said, “We recognize that in a limited number of cases, the impact of this temporary decision could have significant professional consequences.”
In that case, officials recommend any affected individuals make an appeal to the provost’s office.
The employee who tested positive was on campus Feb. 24-25 and was in a secured suite on the first floor of Keck Hall. Officials say he wore a face mask during his time on campus and didn’t visit any other classrooms or buildings.
Rice also banned all university-sponsored international travel for faculty, staff, postdocs and students through April 30.
Officials confirmed the Rice employee is a man between the ages of 60-70 years old who has a history of international travel.
The man is said to be experiencing some symptoms and has self-quarantined at home.
His lab work has been sent to the CDC in Atlanta for testing.
THURSDAY “PRESUMPTIVE POSITIVE” HARRIS COUNTY CASE:
On Thursday night, Harris County officials released a statement confirming that another Houston-area resident was a presumptive positive case of COVID-19, in addition to a man and a woman who were confirmed to have the virus.
Officials say a third person has been identified as a man between 60-70 years old who lives in northwest Harris County.
It is believed that all the cases of the virus were contracted abroad in Egypt.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a tweet he is encouraging Houstonians to limit international travel for now, but also not to be paralyzed by fear.
Sylvester Turner✔@SylvesterTurner
“All the #COVIDー19 cases in the Houston area have international travel in common and we’ve been actively monitoring these individuals since they were identified as being at-risk.”#hounews
Full press release on first presumptive positive case: https://mailchi.mp/houstontx/houston-health-department-reports-citys-first-presumptive-case-of-coronavirus-disease-319019?e=f5b0c0de6b …
Sylvester Turner✔@SylvesterTurner
“I encourage Houstonians to limit international travel for the time being and heed the advice of public health officials about healthy hygiene habits. If you are feeling sick, stay at home. But do not be paralyzed by fear.”#COVIDー19 #hounewshttps://mailchi.mp/houstontx/houston-health-department-reports-citys-first-presumptive-case-of-coronavirus-disease-319019?e=f5b0c0de6b …
Here are the total cases in our area:
Harris County- 2 Confirmed
Harris County – 1 Presumptive
Houston- 1 Confirmed, 1 Presumptive
Fort Bend County- 3 Presumptive
An additional case involves a man and a woman from around the same area.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo added the two patients, including a Rice University employee, were part of a group that traveled to Egypt. Hidalgo said she believes there will be more cases to come in the county.
Rice offered a statement concerning the trip involving the positive case:
Rice University✔@RiceUniversity
Harris County Public Health notified Rice officials this afternoon that the university employee who was self-quarantined tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
Link to full statement: https://bit.ly/3cBQY6H
Fort Bend County officials said a man from Stafford, who is in his 70s, has a case of the virus. That person recently traveled abroad and is currently hospitalized and stable. The man visited his doctor after experiencing symptoms, officials added.
The Fort Bend County case is the first positive test result for COVID-19 in Texas outside of the passengers returned under federal quarantine from Wuhan City, China or the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
According to DSHS, the test was performed at the public health lab in Houston and will be confirmed by testing at the CDC.
Where are the coronavirus cases in the U.S.?
Symptoms of COVID-19 are distinct, but somewhat similar to the flu, and include high fever, deep chest cough and difficulty breathing.
The county also released the following list of precautions you can take to keep you and your family safe.
- Do not go to the emergency room unless essential. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your regular doctor first.
- Practice healthy hygiene habits every day to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. Remember to wash your hands after coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
