Pennsylvania begins coronavirus testing at state-owned lab Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

>> PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4 BEGINS WITH BREAKING NEWS. >> HOSPITALS ARE GETTING READY AS THE CORONAVIRUS -- KELLY: HOSPITALS ARE GETTING READY AS THE CORONAVIRUS SPREADS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE DEATH TOLL IN THE U.S. NOW AT 6, PEOPLE IN AT LAST 15 STATES, INFECTED. THIS NOON, STILL NO KNOWN CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA, BUT OUT LOCAL -- OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS SAY THEY ARE PREPARED TO CARE FOR ANY THAT MAY ARISE. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4 WITH TEAM COVERAGE ON THE PREPARATIONS THIS NOON. LET’S BEGIN WITH REPORTER CHANDI CHAPMAN. >> OPPRESSOR WRAPPED UP, -- A PRESSER WRAPPED UP JUST NOW, HEALTH OFFICIALS IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY ARE MAKING SURE THEY ARE READY IF THE CORONAVIRUS HITS OUR AREA. THEY GATHERED HERE AT UPMC AT 5TH AVENUE AND OAKLAND. TO TALK ABOUT STRATEGIES. WHAT IF A PERSON HAS SYMPTOMS AND COMES INTO THE HOSPITAL. THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN TOPICS DISCUSSED. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY UPMC HAS HAD SCREENS IN PLACE SINCE JANUARY AND TRAINED STAFF ON WHAT TO DO NEXT IF SOMEONE COMES IN WITH SYMPTOMS. THEY ALSO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE ON HOW TO KEEP THE VIRUS FROM SPREADING AND DECIDING WHO NEEDS TO BE TESTED. UPMC IS ALSO WORKING ON DEVELOPING THEIR OWN TESTS. BUT IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS THE HOSPITAL SUGGESTS CALLING AHEAD BEFORE COMING TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. >> WE HAVE TRAINED OUR STAFF TO KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT IF ENCOUNTERING A POTENTIAL COVID-19 INFECTED PATIENT. THAT STARTS WITH PLACING THEM IN A COMFORTABLE AREA AWAY FROM OTHER PATIENTS TO PREVENT ANY OTHER SPREAD TO BEGIN THE EVALUATION AND NATURAL INFECTION PREVENTION PROCEDURES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A CENTURY. >> UPMC SAYS THEY HAVE NOT TESTED ANYONE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS BUT THEY ARE READY. KELLY: WE ALSO WANT TO BRING IN PAUL, YOU LEARNED MORE ABOUT WHAT UPMC IS SAYING ABOUT TESTING FOR THE VIRUS HERE IN PITTSBURGH? >> THAT’S RIGHT, UPMC SAYS THERE IS NO ONE WHO HAS BEEN TESTED AT UPMC, AND ANYONE HE THINKS THEY MIGHT HAVE SYMPTOMS WILL BE TESTED. THE LAB BY THE CDC IS NOW HAND -- THE LAB AT THE CDC IS AN HONEST TEST WITH A TWO TO THREE DAY TURNAROUND. THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL HAVE A TEST TO QUICKEN THE TURNAROUND TIME, BUT IF THE DISEASE COMES THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA, AND DOCTOR’S SAY IT IS EXTREMELY LIKELY THAT SOMEBODY WILL BE INFECTED, PERHAPS MANY PEOPLE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE TEST BE AVAILABLE MORE QUICKLY. THAT’S WHY UPMC SAYS THEY ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN TEST , AND ARE WORKING QUICKLY, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THE TEST IS READY SOON. >> WE ARE WORKING QUICKLY TO DEVELOP OUR OWN TESTING CAPACITY, THIS IS A PRIORITY AS YOU TEST PATIENTS QUICKLY, WE CAN DO IT HERE WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION, I DO NOT HAVE A TIME FOR WHEN THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE. >> BOTH UPMC AND OFFICIALS WITH THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAY THEY ARE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE, THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO SCARE ANYONE. NO CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED BUT THE TO EXPECT CASES TO BE REPORTED HERE SOON. HOW MANY CASES, THEY DON’T KNOW. THE GAME PLAN FOR A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, LIKE WUHAN, CHINA, WHICH THEY SAY IS EXTREMELY UNLIKELY THAT WE WILL SEE ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS Get local stories sent straight to your inbox as news breaks. Submit Privacy Notice