Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases Real Time Map

View a real time map of the Coronavirus COVID-19 created and maintained by the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering at https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Kendall County Health Department Continues to Monitor Novel Coronavirus Situation

The Kendall County Health Department, alongside the Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is actively monitoring the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) status. Five cases of 2019-nCoV infection in people have been detected in the United States. No person-to-person spread has been detected with this virus at this time in the US. That said, there have been no positive cases of individuals with the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in Kendall County.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. Early on, many of the patients in the outbreak in Wuhan, China reportedly had some link to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting animal-to-person transmission. However, a growing number of patients reportedly have not had exposure to animal markets, indicating person-to-person spread is also occurring. There continues to be more to learn about the specificity of a coronavirus transmission.

Symptoms can include; fever, cough and shortness of breath. CDC believes at this time that symptoms of 2019-nCoV may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Importantly, experts explain that this virus may be transmitted by infected individuals who show no apparent symptoms. There is currently no vaccine to prevent 2019-nCoV infection. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday healthy behaviors to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses. People who think they may have been exposed to 2019-nCoV should promptly contact their healthcare provider. For more information on Novel Coronavirus or other communicable diseases, please visit our website at www.kendallhealth.org.

2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Wuhan, China

By: Centers of Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

Situation Summary

CDC is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (termed “2019-nCoV”) that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which continues to expand. Chinese health officials have reported hundreds of infections with 2019-nCoV in China, including outside of Hubei Province. A number of countries, including the United States, have been actively screening incoming travelers from Wuhan and human infections with 2019-nCoV have been confirmed in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea. The United States announced their first infection with 2019-nCoV detected in a traveler returning from Wuhan on January 21, 2020.

Chinese health authorities were the first to post the full genome of the 2019-nCoV in GenBank, the NIH genetic sequence database, and in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) portal, an action which has facilitated detection of this virus.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people such as has been seen with MERS and SARS. When person-to-person spread has occurred with SARS and MERS, it is thought to have happened via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. Spread of SARS and MERS between people has generally occurred between close contacts. Past MERS and SARS outbreaks have been complex, requiring comprehensive public health responses.

Early on, many of the patients in the outbreak in Wuhan, China reportedly had some link to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread. However, a growing number of patients reportedly have not had exposure to animal markets, suggesting person-to-person spread is occurring. At this time, it’s unclear how easily or sustainably this virus is spreading between people.

Both MERS and SARS have been known to cause severe illness in people. The situation with regard to 2019-nCoV is still unclear. While severe illness, including illness resulting in a number of deaths has been reported in China, other patients have had milder illness and been discharged.

There are ongoing investigations to learn more. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available.

Risk Assessment

Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern. The risk from these outbreaks depends on characteristics of the virus, including whether and how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications).

Investigations are ongoing to learn more, but some degree of person-to-person spread of 2019-nCoV is occurring. It’s important to note that person-to-person spread can happen on a continuum. Some viruses are highly contagious (like measles), while other viruses are less so. It’s not clear yet how easily 2019-nCoV spreads from person-to-person. It’s important to know this in order to better assess the risk posed by this virus. While CDC considers this is a serious public health concern, based on current information, the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV to the general American public is considered low at this time. Nevertheless, CDC is taking proactive preparedness precautions.

What to Expect

More cases are likely to be identified in the coming days, including possibly more cases in the United States. Given what has occurred previously with MERS and SARS, it’s likely that some person-to-person spread will continue to occur.

CDC Response

• CDC is closely monitoring this situation and is working with WHO.
• CDC established a 2019-nCoV Incident Management Structure on January 7, 2020. On January 21, 2020, CDC activated its Emergency Response System to better provide ongoing support to the 2019-nCoV response.
• On January 21, 2020, CDC again updated its interim travel health notice for this destination to provide information to people who may be traveling to Wuhan City and who may get sick. The travel notice was raised from Level 1; Practice Usual Precautions, to a Level 2: Practice Enhanced Precautions advising travelers that preliminary information suggests that older adults with underlying health conditions may be at increased risk for severe disease.
• CDC began entry screening of passengers on direct and connecting flights from Wuhan, China to the three main ports of entry in the United States on January 17, 2020. Entry screening will be expanded to airports in Atlanta and Chicago in the coming days.
• CDC issued an updated interim Health Alert Notice (HAN) Advisory to inform state and local health departments and health care providers about this outbreak on January 17, 2020.
• A CDC team has been deployed to support the ongoing investigation in the state of Washington in response to the first reported case of 2019-nCoV in the United States, including potentially tracing close contacts to determine if anyone else has become ill.
• CDC has developed a real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) test that can diagnose 2019-nCoV. Currently, testing for this virus must take place at CDC, but in the coming days and weeks, CDC will share these tests with domestic and international partners through the agency’s International Reagent Resource.

Other Available Resources

The following resources are available with information on 2019-nCoV

• CDC Travelers’ Health: Novel Coronavirus in China
• CDC  Health Alert Network Advisory Update and Interim Guidance on Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China
• CDC Health Alert Network Advisory information for state and local health departments and health care providers
• CDC Information on Coronaviruses
• World Health Organization, Coronavirus

Content source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), Division of Viral Diseases

Novel Coronavirus in China

By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/novel-coronavirus-china

Key Points

• There is an ongoing outbreak of pneumonia first identified in Wuhan, China, caused by a novel (new) coronavirus.
• Person-to-person spread is occurring, although it’s unclear how easily the virus spreads between people.
• Preliminary information suggests that older adults and people with underlying health conditions may be at increased risk for severe disease from this virus.
• Travelers to Wuhan, China, should avoid contact with sick people, animals (alive or dead), and animal markets.
• Travelers from Wuhan to the United States, and other countries, may be asked questions about their health and travel history upon arrival.
• The situation is evolving. This notice will be updated as more information becomes available.

What is the current situation?

A novel (new) coronavirus is causing an outbreak of pneumonia illness in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. This outbreak began in early December 2019 and continues to expand in scope and magnitude. Global surveillance is in the early stages and we expect more cases to be confirmed in China and beyond its borders. Signs and symptoms of this illness include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Initially some patients were linked to the Wuhan South China Seafood City (also called the South China Seafood Wholesale Market and the Hua Nan Seafood Market). However, since closing the market on January 1, 2020, more cases have been identified suggesting that some person-to-person spread is occurring though it’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. There are several known coronaviruses that infect people and usually only cause mild respiratory disease, such as the common cold. However, at least two previously identified coronaviruses have caused severe disease — severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV have been ruled out as the cause of the current outbreak.

Chinese health officials have reported hundreds of cases in the city of Wuhan and severe illness has been reported, including deaths. Cases have also been identified in travelers from Wuhan to other parts of China and other countries. This novel coronavirus has the potential to cause severe disease and death. Preliminary information suggests this is especially true among the elderly and those people with underlying health problems or compromised immune systems. Many characteristics of this novel coronavirus and how it may affect people are still unclear.

In response to this outbreak, Chinese officials have started exit screening for travelers leaving the city of Wuhan and several countries and territories in the region are reported to have implemented health screening of travelers arriving from Wuhan.

On arrival to the United States, travelers from Wuhan may undergo health screening, including having their temperature taken and filling out a symptom questionnaire. Travelers with signs and symptoms of illness (fever, cough, or difficulty breathing) will have an additional health assessment.

What can travelers do to protect themselves and others?

Travelers to Wuhan should

• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat).
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Older travelers and those with underlying health issues may be at risk for more severe disease and should discuss travel to Wuhan with their healthcare provider.

If you traveled to Wuhan and feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, you should

• Seek medical care right away. Before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
• Avoid contact with others.
• Not travel while sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

Clinician Information

Healthcare providers should obtain a detailed travel history for patients with fever and respiratory symptoms. For patients who traveled to Wuhan on or after December 1, 2019 and had onset of illness within 2 weeks of leaving, consider the novel coronavirus outbreak in China when evaluating a patient with these symptoms and notify infection control personnel and your local health department immediately.

Although routes of transmission have yet to be definitively determined, CDC recommends a cautious approach to interacting with patients under investigation. Ask such patients to wear a surgical mask as soon as they are identified. Conduct their evaluation in a private room with the door closed, ideally an airborne infection isolation room, if available. Personnel entering the room should use standard precautions, contact precautions, and airborne precautions and use eye protection (goggles or a face shield). For additional infection control guidance, visit CDC’s Infection Control webpage.

For additional information, please see:

Novel Coronavirus 2019, Wuhan, China
Health Alert Notice, Outbreak of Pneumonia of Unknown Etiology (PUE) in Wuhan, China
WHO, Coronavirus

Pneumonia of Unknown Cause in China

By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/pneumonia-china

Key Points

• There is a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China. The cause is not yet known, nor is the mode of transmission.
• The cluster is centered at the Wuhan South China Seafood City (also called the South China Seafood Wholesale Market and the Hua Nan Seafood Market). The market has been closed since January 1, 2020, for cleaning and disinfection.
• Travelers to Wuhan, China, should avoid living or dead animals, animal markets, and contact with sick people.
• The situation is evolving. This notice will be updated as more information becomes available.

What is the current situation?

There is a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China. As of January 5, 2020, local, provincial, and national health commissions in China have reported a total of 59 cases with no deaths. The cluster is centered at the Wuhan South China Seafood City (also called the South China Seafood Wholesale Market and the Hua Nan Seafood Market). In addition to seafood, the market sells chickens, bats, marmots, and other wild animals. The market has been closed since January 1, 2020, for cleaning and disinfection.

Health authorities in China are monitoring more than 150 close contacts for illness. To date, there have been no reports of spread from person to person or to health care workers.

Symptoms include fever and difficulty breathing. Though the cause of this cluster is unknown, there is concern that it is a virus. Local authorities have reported negative laboratory results for seasonal influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus, and two specific coronaviruses known to cause respiratory illness (severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS] and Middle East respiratory syndrome [MERS]).

What can travelers do to protect themselves?

Travelers to Wuhan should

• Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat).
• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Wash hands often with soap and water.

If you traveled to Wuhan and feel sick, you should

• Stay home. Except for seeking medical care, avoid contact with others.
• Don’t travel while sick.
• Seek medical care right away. Before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell the doctor about your recent travel and your symptoms.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.

Clinician Information

As of this posting, case-patients in the cluster reportedly have had fever, difficulty breathing, and bilateral lung infiltrates on chest radiograph. For patients with similar respiratory symptoms who recently traveled to Wuhan, consider pneumonia related to the cluster and notify infection control personnel and your local health department immediately.

Although the etiology and transmission dynamics have yet to be determined, CDC recommends a cautious approach to symptomatic patients with a history of travel to Wuhan. Ask such patients to don a surgical mask as soon as they are identified. Conduct their evaluation in a private room with the door closed. Personnel entering the room to evaluate the patient should use contact precautions and wear an N95 disposable facepiece respirator. For patients admitted for inpatient care, implement contact and airborne isolation precautions, in addition to standard precautions, until further information becomes available. For additional infection control guidance see: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/isolation/index.html.

Understanding Vaping Practices in Illinois Survey

Understanding Vaping Practices in Illinois Survey Link: https://redcap.dph.illinois.gov/surveys/index.php?s=CD8D74MW4T

Public health departments across the country are trying to understand why people are getting sick after vaping. Information you provide about your vaping habits can help us to better understand vaping habits in Illinois and may help us to identify what is different about the people who have become sick.

We appreciate your willingness to provide information. There is no identifying information linked to this survey and any information you provide will be anonymous and confidential.

Vaping Dangers: The Truth about Electronic Cigarettes

Ticks in Illinois Found to Have Heartland Virus

Illinois Department of Public Health Warns of Hospitalizations Potentially Tied to Vaping

Ebola Virus Disease

Haff Disease

HHS Secretary Azar Statement on Measles Outbreaks and the Importance of Vaccines

HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement regarding the current measles outbreaks around the United States:

“The United States is seeing a resurgence of measles, a disease that had once been effectively eliminated from our country. And today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that ongoing measles outbreaks in 22 states has led to the highest number of cases reported nationwide since the disease was declared eliminated in this country in 2000. Measles is not a harmless childhood illness, but a highly contagious, potentially life-threatening disease. We have the ability to safely protect our children and our communities. Vaccines are a safe, highly effective public health solution that can prevent this disease. The measles vaccines are among the most extensively studied medical products we have, and their safety has been firmly established over many years in some of the largest vaccine studies ever undertaken.

“With a safe and effective vaccine that protects against measles, the suffering we are seeing is avoidable. The CDC is ready to support public health departments in monitoring and responding to outbreaks, and will continue to receive, review, and compile the latest reports of measles cases.

“All Americans would be safer and healthier if we received measles vaccines on the recommended schedule. Next week is a significant opportunity to educate ourselves on the importance of vaccines, as we mark National Infant Immunization Week. The Department of Health and Human Services will undertake a comprehensive campaign to reinforce the message that vaccines are safe and effective ways to protect your children, your family, yourself, and your neighbors.”

For more information about who should get the measles vaccine, go here: https://www.vaccines.gov/diseases/measles

Click here for the CDC’s statement on measles: https://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
###

West Nile Virus: Still a Concern

West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. It is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the early summer and continues through fall. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

West Nile Virus is not new in Illinois. It’s important to remember that this disease is here to stay and has serious effects on those that are infected each year.

Through the summer and fall, we execute a surveillance program that monitors the virus in mosquitoes, as well as, birds. We are in close communication with municipal and county agencies to encourage mosquito control activities and coordinate educational messages to residents.

Because West Nile Virus is here to stay, it’s important to protect yourself and your family. Follow these steps to keep safe this season:

• Make sure eliminate standing water mosquito breeding areas. Discard containers that can hold water and flush/empty those that hold water, but cannot be removed (like birdbaths or gutters) around your property.
• Use mosquito repellents with 30% DEET (10% for children under 12) and follow application instructions.
• Wear light color clothing that covers your arms and legs.
• Make sure window screens fit tightly and repair holes.

For more information, please check out our West Nile Virus webpage or call the Kendall County Health Department at (630)553-9100.

Contaminated Stem Cell Products

Recovering Emotionally From Disaster