An outbreak of a severe respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China, is making headlines, with the first few U.S. cases surfacing last week. While cases of this novel coronavirus may not appear at Penn State Health hospitals, the system is well-prepared.
Emergency Departments at Hershey Medical Center and St. Joseph Medical Center have begun screening, asking people with fever or respiratory symptoms about recent travel to China. Outpatient sites are planning to begin screening this week. If someone with symptoms has not traveled to China in the last two weeks or been in contact with a confirmed case, they are not considered to be at risk.
Penn State Health labs can test (via nasal swabs) for types of coronavirus that cause common colds, but testing for this new pathogen is special and is currently only being done at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. If a case of 2019 coronavirus is suspected, the Pennsylvania Department of Health will be notified, and they will guide testing decisions.
Infectious disease specialists and the Hershey Special Pathogens Team are closely monitoring this issue, preparing to care for possible 2019 coronavirus patients, and making recommendations as needed to ensure the safety of patients, visitors and staff.
In the meantime, staff should follow at home and at work the same preventive guidelines they would for any type of virus that can be spread from person to person:
- Practice good hand hygiene.
- Do not come to work if you are sick with fever or respiratory symptoms.
- Wear a mask once you return to work until your coughing subsides.
Incidents like this also are a great opportunity for staff to review their departmental emergency operation plans and update business continuity plans.
For updated information about the 2019 coronavirus outbreak, visit the CDC’s dedicated web page for the 2019 new coronavirus. You can also watch a short interview with Dr. Catharine Paules about the 2019 coronavirus. Visit the Hershey Medical Center’s special pathogens team home page.
