Background

CDC is responding to an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which has now been detected in 37 locations internationally, including cases in the United States. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”).

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS and SARS.

Resources

Klamath County Public Health (KCPH) encourages anyone looking for more information about coronavirus to visit the CDC website. Johns Hopkins University has a good overview page, too. This blog on the Harvard University Medical School site by Todd Ellerin, MD, is very informative. The World Health Organization provides a global look at the outbreak.

KCPH is working with statewide partners to stay up-to-date on information as it becomes available.

Situation in Oregon

Oregon announced its first presumptive case of novel coronavirus, COVID-19, on February 28, 2020. Health officials continue investigating as they urge good hand hygiene, covering coughs and staying home if you are sick. 

Click here to read the news release.

The second presumptive case, a family member of the first presumptive individual, was announced March 1, 2020. 

Click here to read the news release

Congressman Greg Walden held a press conference in Medford on February 29, 2020.

Click here to see the press conference

Real time mapping

Johns Hopkins University has provided this map to show the international scope of COVID-19 in real time.