Local officials are stepping up efforts to ensure a coordinated response to any potential outbreak of the new strain of coronavirus in Bartholomew County as more cases of the illness continue to be detected around the world.
The coalition, which held its first meeting at Columbus City Hall on Friday morning, spans several city and county entities and other stakeholders to coordinate efforts to prepare for, plan, monitor and respond locally to the global outbreak of the virus, called COVID-19, which has infected over 83,000 people globally and killed 2,800 since being detected in China last year.
The coalition includes representatives from Columbus Regional Health, the city of Columbus mayor’s office, Bartholomew County Health Department, Bartholomew County Emergency Management, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, and Cummins Inc., said CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue.
Currently, 26 Indiana residents are being monitored for the illness, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. As of Friday afternoon, nobody in Indiana had tested positive for the disease.
Local officials confirmed on Friday that there are no suspected or confirmed cases of the illness being monitored in Bartholomew County.
“We met this morning to make sure all of our efforts are coordinated,” DeClue said. “It’s about awareness, how we are cross-communicating with each other and cross-educating the community and keeping everyone informed and aware. Right now, we need to remain calm. It’s not in Indiana. It’s not local.”
CRH officials, for their part, said they are on a “higher alert” for COVID-19 after a patient in California earlier this week tested positive for the illness despite not having any relevant travel history or exposure to another known patient with the disease.
The case in California is thought to be the first known case of community spread of the illness in the United States, according to The Associated Press.
CRH is following protocols on active screening and response methods based on recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease Control and ISDH, including screening patients for symptoms of illness and exposure risk criteria, such as travel history.
The hospital system has broadened its screening criteria for travel exposure to include all international travel, not just China, and medical staff at all CRH facilities are asking all patients about their travel history and symptoms, DeClue said.
As of Wednesday, the CDC lists China, Italy, South Korea, Iran and Japan as countries that have experienced widespread or sustained community transmission.
Additionally, CRH has ramped up its incident command team, which is a multi-disciplinary group that coordinates communication and logistics to monitor potential cases at CRH.
If CRH officials suspect that a patient could have COVID-19, the patient would be placed into isolation, and state and county health officials would be notified for testing.
“They would be put into isolation and then we would notify the Indiana State Department of Health,” DeClue said.
Columbus Regional Hospital has protection suits, goggles, full-face shields and other equipment for staff and 10 negative airflow rooms that are specially designed to isolate patients from the rest of the hospital population, DeClue said.
CRH has already built up reserves of masks and other equipment, DeClue said.
“We’re confident that we have enough (equipment),” she said.
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Based on CDC and Indiana State Department of Health guidelines, here is information with the latest updates and prevention tips regarding the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19:
- Remain calm. International travel bans and restrictions are in place, including a corporation-specific travel ban that Cummins enacted last month, when the outbreak first originated in Wuhan, China.
- Get educated. The Indiana State Department of Health is the source of truth regarding the current state of the situation in our area.
- Formal screening processes are in place under guidelines sent forth from the Centers for Disease Control that include travel history and medical risk.
- Use preventive measures. In addition to COVID-19, the spread of many local seasonal, illnesses can be prevented by standard practices that everyone can follow. They include:
- hand washing regularly, or utilizing sanitizing liquids or wipes when soap and water aren’t available
- covering coughs and sneezes with the inside of your elbow
- staying home if you are ill, especially if you have a fever. Unless you have severe symptoms, then seek medical attention.
- using a mask to cover your nose and mouth if you are ill and must go out
For more about COVID-19, visit www.in.gov/isdh/28470.htm or www.crh.org/news/2020/02/26/coronavirus-update-what-you-need-to-know.
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