Two cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in Georgia, both in Fulton County, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday at a late-night news conference at the state Capitol.
The two, a father and his son, first showed symptoms of the virus after the father returned from a trip to Milan, Italy, an area where the outbreak is most severe.
The patient’s illness was quickly detected, Dr. Kathleen Toomey, head of the Georgia Department of Public Health, said. She said the case was travel related and it was not the result of person-to-person contact in the state.
Both Kemp and Toomey stressed that the risk factor for most Georgians was extremely low.
“I want to reassure you that they’re at home, in home isolation with other household members, with minimal symptoms so they’re not hospitalized,” Toomey said. “The message to the public is still low-risk, low-transmission.”
Further details about the two patients were not released because of patient confidentiality laws, Toomey said.
The illness, known as COVID-19, has infected nearly 90,000 people and killed nearly 3,000 worldwide.
More than 100 cases have been reported in about a dozen U.S. states, including in New York and New Hampshire. Of those, six cases have been fatal, all in Washington state, where researchers have said the virus may have been circulating undetected for weeks.
COVID-19 spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms appear within two to 14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose, and difficulty breathing. Those considered at risk for contracting the virus are individuals with travel to areas where there are ongoing outbreaks of the virus, such as China or Italy, or individuals who are in close contact with a person infected with COVID-19.
Kemp, at his news conference, suggested that anyone who showed symptoms related to Coronavirus should stay in their homes, call their doctor and work out a plan.
Toomey said the person who traveled to Italy recognized the symptoms upon returning to America. She said the person called his doctor, who brought him in through an alternative entrance so he wouldn’t come in contact with others in the office.
“They are in home isolation and are doing well,” she said. “They have minimum symptoms and have not needed to be hospitalized.”
However, she added that she doesn’t think these will be the only cases in Georgia.
“I suspect we will see other cases,” Toomey said.
The Department of Public Health is working to identify any contacts who may have been exposed while the individuals were infectious. People who are identified as having been exposed will be contacted directly by a public health epidemiologist and monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms.
Kemp said he has talked with Vice President Mike Pence, who heads up the nation’s Coronavirus task force, about the two Georgia cases. The governor’s Coronavirus Task Force was briefed via conference call at roughly 9:30 p.m., ahead of Kemp’s 10 p.m. news conference.
“Our team has been working around the clock to prepare for any scenario,” Kemp said. “Already, state health officials have established contact with these individuals to gather more information, monitor their condition, and determine any exposure. They are confident that our efforts to prepare for this moment have enabled us to manage these cases appropriately and minimize any risks moving forward.”
The Trump administration on Monday reassured governors that they will be reimbursed for at least some of the costs of responding to the spread of the coronavirus, as several states began setting aside millions of dollars to head off a public health crisis.
In Congress, bipartisan negotiations are nearly complete on $7 billion to $8 billion in emergency funding to battle the virus, according to both Democratic and GOP aides. The measure appears on track to be unveiled as early as Tuesday, and the hope is to speed it quickly through both House and Senate by the end of the week.
The measure would finance both federal and state response efforts, fund the federal government’s drive to develop and produce a vaccine, and offer Small Business Administration disaster loans to help businesses affected by coronavirus concerns.
Toomey suggested that Georgians follow best practices to avoid the spread of not just Coronavirus, but other viruses.
“Get a flu shot and wash your hands,” she said. “I’ll say that every time I talk to you.”
Best practices include:
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least twenty seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
