Coronavirus In Massachusetts: Flights Diverted, Marathon A Go

BOSTON — While federal health officials warned Americans to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak in the United States, Gov. Charlie Baker and state health officials urged Massachusetts citizens to protect themselves while stressing the risk of a serious outbreak in the Bay State is low.

"It's important to know the facts are going to change and as the facts change people are going to need to change with them, that's why we are having these updates," Baker said during a news conference Monday.

Since the worldwide outbreak, only one coronavirus case has been confirmed in Massachusetts: a man in his 20s who studies at UMass-Boston, self-quarantined and is still recovering. Some 608 people have been quarantined in the Bay State as a precaution against the spread of the virus, according to state Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders. Of those, 377 completed quarantine with no symptoms.

"It is possible we will see more cases, and we are preparing for it," Sudders said.

The number of those in quarantine includes Newton North High School students and staff who returned from a trip to Italy.

Officials said the coronavirus risk is centered on China and in places like Italy, where the spread of the virus has grown.

"We are thinking ahead and will continue to do everything we need to do to keep Massachusetts safe and prepared," Baker said, highlighting a state website on coronavirus with information and prevention tips.

Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel said flights from China are still not landing at Logan Airport due to fears of spreading the virus. Those flights are being diverted to 11 airports across the U.S. and Logan officials are screening passengers exhibiting coronavirus-like symptoms.

"At this time the CDC guidance is to be aware and if you've been to a high risk environment and you come down with something to contact a health care provider," said Bharel.

At this time, large events like the Boston Marathon in April and business conferences need not be canceled because of the coronavirus, Bharel said.

Baker said that could change as more data and details come in.

More Massachusetts coronavirus updates:

• Baker approved $95,000 for the state Department of Public Health to pay for additional staff and testing.
• Every Wednesday the Health Department updates its numbers being monitored by local boards of health.
• The State Department issued a recommendation that school trips outside the U.S. be suspended.
• The Boston Marathon is on.
• Sudders gave a tutorial on effective hand-washing, demonstrating how people should wash the tops of their hands and in between their fingers in addition to the palms.

Coronavirus belongs to a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. So far there is no approved vaccine or treatment for the virus.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Health officals also stress that you should wash your hands often with soap and water, scrubbing for at least 20 seconds and between each finger. The CDC recommends using a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC and health officials recommend washing your hands often, staying at home when you are not feeling well, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

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