Brookline Health Officials Issue Health Update For Coronavirus

BROOKLINE, MA – The risk of contracting coronavirus in Brookline is still low, despite the confirmed case in Boston according to Brookline Health Commissioner Swannie Jett.

Brookline officials said they are monitoring the CDC reports of the outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new virus called coronavirus, which was first detected in Wuhan City, in the Hubei Province of China and which appears to be expanding rapidly.

As of Tuesday, the World Health Organization said there were 20,471 confirmed cases reported in China, including 425 deaths. And it's popping up in other countries, including the United States, where officials have been screening incoming travelers from Wuhan and some flights have been cancelled.

The United States announced their first infection detected in a traveler returning from Wuhan on January 21. Since then 260 people have been tested for the virus in the US, of those, 11 have been confirmed (in Washington, California, Arizona, Illinois and Massachusetts), and 162 have tested negative. The test results of another 82 are still pending, according to the CDC as of Monday.

On Friday, the first case was confirmed in the commonwealth when a man in his 20s who had just returned from Wuhan, self reported.

"Anyone who has traveled recently to China should self- quarantine, remain home, if you leave wear a mask, and avoid any public events for 14 days," said Jett.

Symptoms include fever and respiratory illness, such as cough and difficulty breathing. If you experience any of these symptoms, health officials ask you to call your physician, separate from others at home, wear a face mask, and avoid sharing household items.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent 2019-nCoV infection. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid exposure, according to health officials.

Brookline Public Health recommends standard precautions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Use alcohol-based hand rubs and gels.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Avoid animals (dead or alive), animal markets, and products that are uncooked
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Wear a mask if you leave the house and you have a cough

Read more:

• Brookline Health Officials Issue Health Advisory On Coronavirus (Jan. 27)
• Brookline High School Postpones China Trip Amid Coronavirus Scare (Feb. 3)