COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus appears to have made its way to the Show Me state. In a press conference with Governor Mike Parson, County Executive Dr. Sam Page and a Mercy Hospital St. Louis emergency physician on Saturday night (March 7), officials confirmed the first presumed positive case of COVID-19 in a St. Louis County woman in her 20s, who recently traveled to Italy.
“The Missouri state public health laboratory has reported a presumptive positive result for COVID-19 and has forwarded it to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation,” Parson said.
A result “presumed positive” case means the respiratory specimen tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 at a state or local laboratory, and it is sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention for definitive confirmation. Page said that may take a few days.
Page said the woman called the County’s Coronavirus Hotline number 314-615-2660, received instructions and subsequently went to Mercy Hospital St. Louis with fever and respiratory symptoms described as mild. She was tested and went home under self-quarantine, along with her parents.
Mercy Hospital St. Louis’ chairman of Emergency Dept., Alok K. Sengupta, M.D. said the patient went straight to a negative pressure room away from the rest of the hospital population yesterday, where she was tested. Negative pressure rooms are used in hospitals to contain airborne contaminants and to keep those contaminants from coming in contact with other individuals, and sterile medical equipment.
“Our staff, physicians, nurses, everyone who has encountered the patient used personal protective equipment from start to finish,” Sengupta said. “The patient did not meet any of our admission criteria. At that point, we talked to our infection control teams, who then talked to the health department and we discharged the patient home.”
Parson said that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has tested a total of 26 individuals for COVID-19, including the presumptive positive case announced tonight. Three additional tests remain in progress. “I am confident in the work of the Department of Health and Senior Services and the St. Louis County Public Health Department and know that they will do what they can to protect the health and safety of Missouri communities,” he said.
Page said the patient in question will remain in quarantine for 14 days after her symptoms disappear.
“The student and her parents have assured us that they have not left their home since she became symptomatic a few days ago, except when she came to the hospital to be tested,” Page said.
Although Page would not say exactly where the woman lives in the County, he said the local health department officials are identifying the woman’s close contacts to monitor for symptoms and contain any potential spread.
“We will look to contain this virus as much as possible,” Page said. “We are prepared, we are here to educate the public and we are now responding.”
On Thursday in preparation for the new coronavirus, the County announced the partial opening of an Emergency Command Center.
“The St. Louis County Health Department has already notified Unified Health Command so that all health directors understand what we’re doing and are up to date,” Page said. “We will coordinate with state, federal and regional governments and with healthcare institutions and our local experts.”
To help prevent coming in contact with the new coronavirus – it’s the same precautions to take to avoid other cold and flu bugs..
“This coronavirus may be new, but the ways to prevent it are tried and true and well-established,” Page added. “Wash your hands with soap and water; use hand sanitizer when they’re not available; if you’re sick, avoid other people; avoid people who are sick and use the same precautions you use for anyone who had flu symptoms.”
Currently, COVID-19 testing is limited to persons displaying symptoms.
“The reality is, there are constraints around testing for this virus,” Page said. “The United States is not at a point where we can provide testing for the general public… and it’s not useful on people who are not symptomatic.”
For information about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, visit www.cdc.gov. or the St. Louis County website is stlcorona.com. The County’s Coronavirus Hotline number is 314-615-2660. It is monitored 24/7.
