Health officials: No 'persons under investigation' for coronavirus locally, but be prepared

As awareness of the coronavirus escalates across the U.S. and around the world, many local health officials are advising residents to be ready — even if there are no potential cases being monitored nearby.

“Though we cannot yet predict timelines and severity of the disease, we are in a unique situation that we have time to prepare,” Dr. Annette Mercatante, medical health officer for the St. Clair County Health Department, said in a statement Friday. “Take advantage of this. We will keep the community updated.

“We have an extremely robust public health system across the United States and in Michigan with public health workers who are trained and experienced in outbreak prevention and management. We will get through what lies ahead.”

Most coronavirus cases that have made headlines have come from China since the new year — more than 81,000 cases globally as of Thursday with 78,000 of those in China, including more than 2,600 deaths, according to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office. Health officials have reported monitoring the spread of cases into other countries, including in the U.S. The country's first death was also reported in Washington state over the weekend.

But Jennifer Michaluk, spokesperson and director of health education and planning at the county health department, said to date, St. Clair County had not had any “persons under investigation.”

Currently, Mercatante said the health department was working on its response plans for the coronavirus, such as updating pandemic event plans and reviewing policies and procedures, communicating with federal, state and local partners daily.

On Friday, Whitmer also activated a state-level emergency operations center to coordinate with other agencies. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services initially launched efforts to coordinate responses Feb. 3.

Every agency, including the U.S. Center for Disease Control, are recommending residents similarly prepare for the outbreak as they work to identify potential COVID-19 cases.

What sort of illness are we working with?

The coronavirus now being monitored is a respiratory disease, abbreviated as COVID-19 for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the incarnation of the disease detected in 2019, according to the CDC.

Its symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath with cases ranging from mild to severe and death; and it’s believed to spread mainly person-to-person between individuals within roughly six feet of others or via droplets produced from coughs or sneezes of an infected person.

Mercatante said they don’t want people to worry, but that “we are equally as vulnerable as any other location in the U.S.,” to be exposed to the disease.

“And as such should seriously prepare for a situation where many people are getting sick in a short period of time,” she said. “St. Clair County is also poorly vaccinated and has an international border, both factors that can impact our resiliency.”

Citing the CDC’s report of a global pandemic situation as “not a matter of ‘if’ it will happen but ‘when,’” Mercatante said it was still it’s uncertain when it’ll impact the U.S., for how long and how severely with information “rapidly changing on a daily basis.”

What should we be doing?

The St. Clair County Health Department recommended similar steps to “help decrease and slow the spread of infection,” and similarly to other general respiratory illnesses.

Basic health recommendations include:

Pay attention to public health requests

Get details from credible sources, including the CDC and MDHHS

Practice good hygiene, such as washing your hands or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available

Stay home when you’re sick

Clean all “high-touch” surfaces daily

Cover coughs and sneezes and avoid touching your face

Avoid sharing personal household items

Be current on routine vaccinations

Most COVID-19 infections are not serious, Mercatante said, but she still recommended being watchful for concerning symptoms, including a prolonged fever. There were also several emergency preparedness steps officials recommend residents accommodate in case of the outbreak reaching their communities:

Call ahead before going to the doctor or hospital if sick

Plan now for caring for loved ones who may be sick or medically compromised

Maintain a good supply of non-perishable foods, including for pets

Plan ahead for daycare options if schools are closed

Keep prescription medications filled and over-the-counter meds on hand

Talk to employers about plans for absenteeism, working from home, etc.

And if it happens, should those concerned wear masks?

“They would help to some degree,” Mercatante said in an interview earlier this month. “There’s not any real good research on how well they help. But if you’re actively sick, it helps to put a mask on because it helps prevent your sputum from going all over. But you’re healthy and wearing it, it’s not clear it helps at all.”

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. Also, follow the local health department on social media.

Jackie Smith is the local government reporter for the Times Herald. Have questions or a story idea? Contact her at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.