County continues to monitor coronavirus; No local cases

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health continues to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health to respond to reports of coronavirus (COVID-19) as it is quickly evolving. No cases have been reported in San Bernardino County.

As of today, California has reported seven travel-related cases of COVID-19 in the state, one close contact case and one case from community transmission. There have been no confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States to date. The health risk from COVID-19 to the general public remains low at this time. Although COVID-19 has a high transmission rate, it has a low mortality rate.

“There still have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases in San Bernardino County thus far,” states Dr. Erin Gustafson, San Bernardino County Acting Health Officer. “(The County)  is working closely with state and federal partners to continue gathering as much information as possible about this virus and preparing to respond. At this time, we urge the public to remain calm, as the health risk to the general public in our county remains low. Our top priority is ensuring that residents of San Bernardino County remain safe and healthy.”

As with any virus, especially during the flu season, there are a number of steps you can take to protect your health and those around you:

• Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• If someone does become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough, they should stay away from work, school or other people to avoid spreading illness.

To learn more about COVID-19, visit the Communicable Disease Section’s Emerging Diseases webpage at wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/programs/cds/emerging-diseases or call (800) 722-4794.