Novel coronavirus

Novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a new respiratory disease first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed across the United States, including in Washington and Clark County.

For the latest information on cases in the U.S., visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For the latest information on cases in the state, visit the Washington State Department of Health website.

Public Health recommendations

What should I do if I have symptoms?

Supplies to test people for COVID-19 are limited. For this reason, health care providers have to prioritize who receives testing. Not everyone with symptoms will be tested.

If you have mild symptoms, stay home and away from others until 72 hours after the fever is gone and other symptoms improve. If your symptoms worsen and you need to seek medical care, call in advance so your provider can make a plan to see you without potentially exposing others. Your health care provider will determine whether you need to be tested.

If you develop symptoms and have a condition that may increase your risk for serious illness -- age 60 years or older or have medical conditions -- contact your health care provider. Your provider may want to monitor your health more closely or test you for COVID-19.

Here is additional guidance for people who have or think they have COVID-19:

How can I keep myself and others healthy?

Clark County Public Health is urging everyone to practice social distancing:

Give space. Stay about 6 feet away from other people.
Stay home. Avoid unnecessary trips to public locations.
Don't congregate. Avoid indoor and outdoor gatherings with other people.

These recommendations are especially important for populations at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19:
call center

older than 60.
who have serious chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease.
who have weakened immune systems.

Anyone who has questions about whether their condition puts them at risk for COVID-19 should consult their health care provider.

Everyday practices to prevent colds, influenza and other respiratory illnesses can also protect people against coronaviruses, including COVID-19. Clark County Public Health recommends people take the following actions to keep themselves healthy:

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
Stay home and away from others when sick.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are frequently touched.

Public Health response

COVID-19 testing is ordered at the discretion of local health care providers. Public Health does not provide COVID-19 testing and does not need to approve testing for COVID-19.

Number of positive tests	6
Number of deaths	3
Number of negative tests*	189

Numbers updated 10:45 am March 20. Public Health will update these numbers by 11 am daily.

*Positive test results are immediately notifiable to Clark County Public Health; negative test results are not. The number provided represents those individuals with negative test results that have been reported to the Washington Disease Reporting System, but does not represent the total number of individuals that have tested negative for COVID-19 in our community.

Positive cases announced March 20:

Woman in her 60s. No known contact with a confirmed case. Recovering at home.
Man in his 70s. No known contact with a confirmed case. Recovering at home.

Previously announced positive cases:

Man in his 70s. No known contact with a confirmed case. Died March 17.
Man in his 80s. No known contact with a confirmed case. Died March 16.
Woman in her 80s. No known contact with a confirmed case. Died March 16.
Woman in her 40s. Close contact of a confirmed case in Oregon.

Public Health identifies and notifies all close contacts of confirmed cases. Those individuals are placed in quarantine for 14 days. Public Health monitors those individuals for symptoms.

Unlike with confirmed measles cases, Public Health is not announcing public locations the COVID-19 case visited. COVID-19 is spread through close contact (within 6 feet) and via respiratory droplets when someone coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza spreads. It is not spread the same way as measles, which is airborne and can linger in the air for several hours. For this reason, listing places where a person with COVID-19 has been is not effective. Without close contact with an infected person, you are at extremely low risk of contracting COVID-19.

Additional resources

Washington State Department of Health call center: 1.800.525.0127
Washington State Department of Health novel coronavirus outbreak webpage
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coronavirus disease 2019 website
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information for travel webpage

Signs, posters and handouts

Novel coronavirus fact sheet: English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese (traditional), Thai, Korean
How can I prevent getting novel coronavirus? poster

Parents and caretakers

Washington State Department of Health resources for parents/caretakers
Just for Kids: A comic exploring the new coronavirus (NPR)

Schools and child care centers

Washington State Department of Health recommendations for schools and child care facilities
Washington State Department of Health recommendations for child care during COVID-19 outbreak
Washington State Department of Health school resources webpage
Washington State Department of Health higher education resources webpage
Washington State Department of Health child care resources webpage
Just for Kids: A comic exploring the new coronavirus (NPR)

Businesses and employers

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention interim guidance for businesses and employers
Washington State Department of Health workplace and employer recommendations

Food establishments

Clark County Public Health food establishment COVID-19 guidance
Washington State Department of Health food worker and establishment webpage
Washington State Department of Health dining area closures guidance
Washington State Department of Health supply chain issues and conservation strategies

Health care providers, clinics and hospitals

Clark County Public Health provider advisories
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information for healthcare professionals
Washington State Department of Health resources for healthcare providers
Washington State Department of Health health alert for dental providers

Long term care facilities

Washington State Department of Health resources for long term care facilities
Washington State Department of Health recommendations for adult family homes
Washington State Department of Health recommendations for assisted living facilities

Communities and community organizations

Washington State Department of Health communities and community organizations resources webpage
Washington State Department of Health guidance for public gatherings and events

Homeless service providers

Washington State Department of Health recommendations for homeless shelter facilities

Emergency medical services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention interim guidance for EMS services

Frequently Asked Questions

What is COVID-19?

Novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a new respiratory disease first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. COVID-19 is part of a larger family of coronaviruses, some of which are normally circulating in the community and can cause illnesses like the common cold.

How does coronavirus spread?

We are still learning about COVID-19, including how it spreads. Current understanding about how COVID-19 spreads is largely based on what is known about similar coronaviruses.

Coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through:

The air by coughing and sneezing
Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands
Rarely, fecal contamination with coronavirus present

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

For confirmed COVID-19 cases, illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. If you have been in China within the last two weeks and develop symptoms, call your health care provider.

What should I do if I have COVID-19 symptoms?

If you have any of the conditions that may increase your risk for a serious viral infection—age 60 years or over, are pregnant, or have medical conditions—call your physician’s office and ask if you need to be evaluated in person.

If you do not have a high-risk condition and your symptoms are mild, you do not need to be evaluated in person and do not need to be tested for COVID-19.

Here is additional guidance for people who have or think they have COVID-19:

How can people protect themselves from coronavirus?

There are steps people should take to reduce their risk of getting and spreading any viral respiratory infections. These include:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Stay home and away from others when sick.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are frequently touched.

What is the treatment for COVID-19?

There is no specific treatment for COVID-19. People with COVID-19 can receive supportive care from hospitals to help relieve symptoms.

Is it safe to travel?

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for the latest COVID-19 information for travelers.

Should I wear a mask when I go out in public?

Public Health is not recommending that people wear masks when they are in public. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend that people who are well wear face masks to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

Masks can be useful in some settings to prevent someone who has a respiratory illness from spreading it to others. That’s why we recommend that people who are sick put a mask on if they are waiting in a clinic.

How do I plan ahead for COVID-19?

Make an emergency plan of action with your household members, relatives, and friends. Visit Emergency Preparedness and You (on the CDC website) for more information.
If the disease starts spreading in our area, we might recommend to close schools or cancel events and encourage people to work remotely to slow the spread of the disease.
Make plans for alternative arrangements for your child or yourself in the case of a school dismissal or shutdown. Also make plans for your elders and your pets, as needed.
Check in with your work about your sick leave and telework options, should you need to stay home to care for a household member.
Make a list of your emergency contacts — family, friends, neighbors, carpool drivers, health care providers, teachers, employers, local public health department, and community resources.
Gather extra supplies, such as soap, tissues, and alcohol-based hand sanitizer. If you or one of your household members have a chronic condition and regularly take prescription drugs, talk to your health provider, pharmacist, and insurance provider about keeping an emergency supply of medications at home.

What should I do if COVID-19 starts spreading in Clark County?

Stay informed about COVID-19 activity in Clark County on Public Health's novel coronavirus webpage and activity in the state through the Washington State Department of Health website.
Avoid contact with people who are sick. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and wash your hands often with soap or water. Don’t share personal items and clean frequently touched surfaces with soap and water.
If you are sick, stay home. When seeking medical care, wear a face mask and keep your distance from others. If someone in your house is sick, stay home to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus to others.
Do not attend large events, such as sporting events, conferences, or other community events if you are sick, do not feel well, or someone in your home is sick. If you aren’t sick, consider your risk of getting COVID-19 at the event before you go.
Discourage your children from gathering with others after school unless it is a small group. If any of the children show symptoms of COVID-19, separate them from others immediately.
Watch your children for symptoms of COVID-19. Notify your children’s child care facility or school if they are sick and get any classroom assignments or activities they can do from home.
Set up a separate room for sick household members. Clean the room regularly and make sure they have clean disposable face masks to use.
Check in with family and friends who live alone — especially those with chronic diseases. If you live alone, ask your friends and family to check in with you if you become sick.

How can I help reduce stigma associated with COVID-19?

While COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, the disease is not specific to any ethnic group or national origin. The risk of infection is based on exposure to disease, such as through travel to an area where the disease is occurring, and not on race, ethnicity or where someone was born. Viruses do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender or birthplace.

You can help to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with a disease outbreak by doing the following:

Speak up if you hear, see or read stigmatizing or harassing comments or misinformation.
Show compassion and support for individuals and communities most closely impacted and anyone who might be sick.
Do not make assumptions about someone’s health status based on their ethnicity, race or national origin.
Share accurate information. Rely on trusted sources of information about the causes of outbreaks from reputable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washington State Department of Health.