Mercy Hospital STL Planning Drive-Through Coronavirus Testing

ST. LOUIS, MO — Officials at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis say they are working to set up a drive-through test site for anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to the new coronavirus, according to a news release. Related to the same virus that causes the common cold, the new coronavirus causes a disease now known as COVID-19, which health officials say is about 10 to 20 times more lethal than the seasonal flu.

A woman in her 20s tested positive for the virus after returning to St. Louis from studying abroad in Italy earlier this week. She was tested March 6 at Mercy Hospital.

Don't miss updates about precautions in the St. Louis area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

Health officials say only those with respiratory symptoms or fever should get tested. If you don't have symptoms, the test could result in a false negative, meaning that you may have the virus even though the test says you don't. In addition, because the number of tests are limited, only people who have traveled to high-risk areas currently qualify for testing.

Alok Sengupta, chair of Mercy's emergency department, told St. Louis Magazine on Tuesday that the ER was already inundated with calls from people wanting to be tested.

If you think you've been exposed to someone with the coronavirus or you are experiencing cough, fever or trouble breathing after traveling to a high-risk area, you can call Mercy's hotline at 314-251-0500 to speak to an expert for guidance.

You can also visit stlcorona.com or call the county's coronavirus hotline at 314-615-2660.

Coronavirus closings, cancellations and postponements:

• The St. Louis St. Patrick's Day Parade has been postponed.
• The Dogtown St. Patrick's Day Parade has been postponed.
• The Missouri Botanical Garden has canceled or postponed several events, including the Science Open House, Sake and Sakura, Eggstravaganza and Chinese Cultural Days.
• The Missouri History Museum has canceled public programs and tours until April 1. Locations are open otherwise with regular operating hours.
• Villa Duchesne school will be closed for the week. The sister of the woman who tested positive for COVID-19 attends the school.
• Washington University has extended spring break and canceled in-person classes through April 30.
• St. Louis University has canceled in-person classes.
• The University of Missouri has canceled in-person classes through March 20.
• Harris-Stowe State University has extended its spring break through March 23 and has canceled in-person classes.
• Maryville University has canceled in-person classes for at least two weeks.
• Lindenwood University has canceled in-person classes and is encouraging students on spring break not to return to campus.
• Bayer has closed its Creve Coeur campus after an employee was possibly exposed to the coronavirus.
• Pearl Jam has canceled a concert scheduled for April 4 at the Enterprise Center.
• The farmers market on Washington University's medical campus has been canceled until it is "appropriate to reopen."

Coronaviruses are 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 SARS-Cov-2, 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, the illness caused by SARS-Cov-2, struck the U.S. on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now being spread 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. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and use 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 recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.