OC Health Care Agency Confirms First Case of Novel Coronavirus in Orange County

SANTA ANA (CBSLA)  – The OC Health Care Agency's (HCA) Communicable Disease Control Division received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Saturday evening that a traveler to Orange County from Wuhan, China has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The undisclosed visitor has been in contact with the HCA and was provided guidance in order to reduce exposure to the public while awaiting laboratory confirmation from the CDC. The individual has now been transported to a local hospital and is in isolation in good condition.

The HCA is following up directly with all individuals who have had close contact and will be monitoring them to assure that proper evaluation and care is provided if they become ill. The CDC's guidance indicates that people who have casual contact with a case are at minimal risk of developing an infection.

At this time, there is no evidence that person-to-person transmission has occurred in Orange County. The current risk of local transmission remains low.

For general information about novel coronavirus, please visit www.cdc.gov or www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.