The Mendocino County Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan has confirmed a third case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Mendocino County. Like the first two cases in Mendocino County, this third case is thought to be travel related and does not appear to indicate community spread. The individual is from Inland Mendocino County, is in stable condition, in isolation at home with active public health monitoring, did not require hospitalization, and poses no risk to the public at this time.
Additionally, Mendocino County Public Health has reported that the first Mendocino County case, from the South Coast, who was monitored daily in isolation by public health, has recovered. This individual remained in isolation as directed for the designated amount of time- 14 days from symptom onset and until symptoms resolved.
Regarding the new COVID-19 case, Dr. Doohan stated, “Public Health was notified late yesterday evening of a third COVID-19 case. This person is on home isolation, doing well and does not pose a risk to the public. The individual is being actively monitored by public health along with their primary healthcare provider. The healthcare facility where this case was identified used proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and handled this case in an exemplary manner that protected their healthcare workers, staff and patients from exposure. We will continue to release announcements of new cases promptly, by 6pm each day.”
This third positive COVID-19 individual was identified through the Public Health Lab system in coordination with our healthcare providers. Across the nation, the current situation for COVID-19 testing is highly problematic due to shortages of the test sampling materials and limited testing capacity. In response to this challenge, Mendocino County Public Health has developed a process for facilitating COVID-19 testing for our healthcare partners. Currently, the Mendocino County Public Health department can facilitate testing through our affiliated Public Health lab, located in Santa Rosa.
As of today, the average turnaround time for the one commercial lab available to our County, Quest, is two weeks. The Public Health Lab turnaround time is at most 72 hours, which includes the time needed for pickup of the sampling kit from the Healthcare partner and delivery of the sample by courier to the Santa Rosa lab. Given the current restricted access to COVID-19 testing supplies and resources, the testing that Public Health facilitates for partners includes symptomatic patients from specific categories: healthcare workers, public safety personnel, people of high public health risk (nursing home residents, incarcerated people, homeless), high risk exposure (due to travel or contact) and emergency room and hospitalized patients in whom the test result will change management of the patient. Anyone who is tested for COVID-19 MUST remain in isolation until further directed by their clinician who ordered the test. People who are sick and being evaluated for COVID-19 can spread the disease unless they stay in isolation away from other people.
The Public Health facilitation of COVID-19 testing is a top priority so that our healthcare partners can increase testing efficiency and ensure that individuals most at risk can be tested promptly.
Below are the COVID-19 testing numbers as of March 27, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
Public Health Lab:
- Negatives: 42
- Positives: 1
- Pending: 13
- Total:56
Commercial Lab (Quest):
- Negatives: 101
- Positives: 2
- Pending: 28
- Total: 131
- Recovered: 1
"To keep COVID-19 from spreading like wild-fire in Mendocino County, we must make sure everyone continues to Shelter-In-Place, and maintain physical distancing while carrying out essential activities and business. Additionally we must make sure that people who are sick with COVID-19 symptoms, and their close contacts, stay isolated and quarantined away from others as directed by their clinicians and Public Health" said Health Officer Dr. Doohan.
Remember:
- Be familiar with the Shelter in Place order and follow it’s directives (https://www.mendocinocounty.org/community/novel-coronavirus)
- Keep a distance of at least six feet away from others when in public
- Don’t shake hands
- Wash your hands thoroughly and often
- Don’t touch your face with un-washed hands
- Cover coughs and sneezes (into your elbow and away from others, not hands)
- Regularly clean high-traffic surfaces
- If you are sick stay home unless you need to seek medical care in which case you should call ahead
For more on COVID-19:
www.mendocinocounty.org
Call Center: (707) 234-6052 or email callcenter@mendocinocounty.org
The call center is open Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
