Working to Stay Ahead of the Coronavirus Crisis

As concerns about the novel coronavirus ramp up, the United States will begin screening travelers and increase production of masks and test kits.

The COVID-19 virus has killed nearly 3,000 people worldwide and more than 88,000 people are currently infected with the virus.

On Saturday, the first American died in Washington state from coronavirus, and on Sunday night the second, also in Washington. New cases were reported in New York City, the Chicago area and Rhode Island.

There are no known cases in Pasadena.

Officials with the city’s health department and Huntington Hospital will update the City Council at its next meeting on March 9.

The Pasadena Unified School District issued a statement late last week stating there were no plans to close schools, but officials are “updating protocols and preparing plans for virtual learning for schools in the event of a prolonged emergency of any kind, including coronavirus.”

Schools in Japan, Iran, Iraq, Italy and Vietnam have been shut down.

Closing schools could have a devastating financial impact on families. Workers without paid sick leave make about 30 percent of the private sector workforce, according to a Huffington Post article.

This past week, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 14 percent, the S&P 500 fell by 13 percent and the Nasdaq Composite by 12.3 percent.

The Dow plummeted nearly 1,200 points on Thursday.

Meanwhile, people are attempting to make money off of the virus selling surgical masks starting at $27 apiece on Craigslist.

“More than 15,000 coronavirus testing kits are in the mail this weekend en route to health professionals,” according to Vice President Mike Pence.

There has been a concern that capacity is limited across the country to conduct tests amid a potential epidemic. The latest numbers show only 472 people so far have been tested in the U.S, according to the CDC. Meanwhile, other countries are testing thousands of people per day.

“The FDA has approved a testing regime that state and local officials can be using,” Pence said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

He added the government is working with another “commercial provider” to send another 50,000 kits out.”

In January Chinese officials quarantined an entire city — Wuhan. During the quarantine, trains and public transit came to a halt, and air travel was canceled. Residents were urged to stay at home, and to wear masks if they must go out.

The quarantine area expanded to include a space of about 35 million people. The virus has spread to every continent in the world save Antarctica.

Locally Huntington Hospital is screening all incoming patients for signs and symptoms of communicable diseases and has implemented infection prevention and control practices, a hospital spokesperson said.

“Our Health Department is in constant communications with PUSD and other private institutions emphasizing the importance of personal hygiene, the latest Coronavirus statistics and suggested outreach to parents and guardians,” said Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian.

In Northern California, San Francisco Tuesday declared a “state of emergency” over the coronavirus. Mayor London Breed said the declaration would help the city speed up emergency planning.

On Saturday residents were seen wearing masks in the San Gabriel Valley.

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have seen a surge of discriminatory rhetoric and violent attacks against Asian Americans across the country,” Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) said in a statement. “Often the attackers have been inspired by debunked conspiracy theories about the origin of the virus and how it spreads. Others repeat mistaken information, such as claiming that all people from China need to be quarantined for two weeks, when that guidance is actually intended specifically for those returning from a prolonged trip to China, regardless of their ethnic background.’’