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Ukiah, California: 4/17/2020

Health Officer Confirms Fifth Case of COVID-19

The Mendocino County Health Officer, Dr. Noemi Doohan has confirmed a fifth case of
the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Mendocino County. Like the previous four cases,
this case is related to an exposure outside of Mendocino County and does not appear to
indicate that community spread has occurred inside our County. This person was
released from a state correctional facility by the California Department of Corrections
and Rehabilitation (CDCR), and was transported, untested, from that facility to
Mendocino County in order to stay with a relative. The individual has not shown
symptoms and was directed by CDCR to self-isolate until the COVID-19 testing was
done.

Mendocino County Public Health was made aware of this persons presence in the
County yesterday morning, as soon as Sheriff Kendall became aware. This person was
evaluated at a local primary care clinic within hours, and Public Health transported the
COVID-19 test sample to the Public Health lab in Santa Rosa promptly, resulting in a
positive test result within 24 hours. The primary care clinic responded to this urgent
need in an exemplary matter, and took proper precautions including using personal
protective equipment, while evaluating the individual. A detailed contact investigation is
underway by Public Health.

Fifth Case Details: Male between 19-34 years old, asymptomatic (meaning not showing
symptoms at this time), in isolation at home with a relative, in the Ukiah Valley with
active public health monitoring since yesterday.

“It can be easy to let our guard down as Sheltering-In-Place seems to drag on,” said Dr.
Doohan “but this case is proof that we still need our county’s Shelter-in-Place order to
protect us while we gain precious time to prepare for the threat of COVID-19 community
spread arriving in the near future, like it has in Sonoma County. Sheltering-In-Place is
not optional. We must continue to Shelter-In-Place, while practicing social distancing,
and wear face coverings while out in public for essential activities.”

Anyone who is tested for COVID-19 MUST remain in isolation until further directed by
their clinician who ordered the test under the Blanket Isolation and Quarantine orders
released by Dr Doohan on April 8, 2020.

Of the five positive cases our county has had, the first four have fully recovered and are
currently Sheltering-In-Place.

For more on COVID-19:
www.mendocinocounty.org
Call Center: (707) 234-6052 or email callcenter@mendocinocounty.org
The call center is open daily from 8:00 a.m. – 8 p.m.