First Laredoan tests positive for novel coronavirus

A woman walks through a lightly trafficked Times Square in New York, Monday, March 16, 2020. Bars and restaurants will become takeout-only and businesses from movie theaters and casinos to gyms and beyond will be shuttered Monday night throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut because of the coronavirus, the states' governors said. less A woman walks through a lightly trafficked Times Square in New York, Monday, March 16, 2020. Bars and restaurants will become takeout-only and businesses from movie theaters and casinos to gyms and beyond will ... more Photo: Seth Wenig, AP Photo: Seth Wenig, AP Image 1 of / 86 Caption Close First Laredoan tests positive for novel coronavirus 1 / 86 Back to Gallery

Laredo officially has its first case of novel coronavirus, Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Landin confirmed Monday evening.

This was a locally-transmitted case; the patient has not traveled recently, Landin said. She is a 40-year-old female who works for Zaffirini Elementary; parents of children at the school have been notified, according to Landin.

The City of Laredo Health Department is conducting an investigation to see who this patient has been in contact with and if any of them feel symptoms.

Landin noted that this woman is healthy, stable and has not been hospitalized during this period.

“Her symptoms were mild. In fact she didn’t meet the criteria but she was tested anyway,” Landin said.

This patient was the presumptive case that Laredo officials had mentioned earlier Monday. Health Department Director Dr. Hector Gonzalez noted that she was in quarantine.

There are five other patients in Laredo who have been tested for the novel coronavirus and are awaiting results, Gonzalez said Monday in a virtual press conference with local media. The City of Laredo said later that evening that one of the five had come back negative, and results are pending for the other four.

Gonzalez once again asked Laredoans not to panic or buy more than a week’s supply of groceries, but to simply continue best hygiene practices during this period.

“I want to remind the media and the public — we’re going to get a positive sooner or later. We’re going to get some people who get sick. But they’re going to overcome it for the most part,” Gonzalez said. “... It’s not that this is the worst virus. The more that we know about it, it’s acting just like its other cousins in the coronavirus family.”

The CDC is urging gatherings of 50 people or more to be canceled or postponed for the next eight weeks, and at a news conference Monday, President Donald Trump urged that number to be capped at 10.

Laredo City Manager Robert Eads said they will make whatever changes necessary to keep the community safe, but they have not yet mandated social distancing measures in the city’s operations or for local businesses or private events. Last week City Council voted to cancel or postpone all city events for 30 days.

“We were thinking at that point last week, groups of a couple hundred or more. Now we’re down to 50. So what we’ll be doing is narrowing those abilities to have those groups,” Eads said. “... Large gatherings, facilities privately owned — we’re actively looking to see if that’s something we want to address at this point.”

He also noted that questions have come up about maquinitas, and that they are exploring the legal options there.

Webb County announced Monday that the Tax Assessor’s Office has closed its passport office until further notice, and jury duty has been canceled for next week.

The city plans to host this virtual news conference at noon every day into the foreseeable future to disseminate information about COVID-19. A video stream of the call Monday showed Fire Chief/Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Landin in one room, Dr. Gonzalez in another, and Mayor Pete Saenz, Mayor Pro Tempore Alberto Torres, Eads, Deputy City Manager Rosario Cabello and City Attorney Kristina Hale together at a table in the city manager’s office.

“I would urge the community to continue to use the common sense approach, best practices, as a preventative measure,” Saenz said. “Yes, it’s important that we focus on the situation that we have. But we should not panic. ... People are consuming, buying more than what they need. There’s no need. The stores need time to replenish.”

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com