Washtenaw County Health Department says coronavirus cases doubled overnight to 14

WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Washtenaw County Health Department says it has seven new presumptive positive cases of coronavirus as of 10 a.m. Thursday, bringing the county total to 14.

According to the health department, there is evidence of community spread locally and five of the new cases had no known contact with confirmed cases of COVID-19 or recent travel. The other two cases had recent history of domestic travel.

“Evidence of community spread means we will change how we respond to local cases, especially as the number of tests increases every day,” says Jimena Loveluck, MSW, Washtenaw County Health Officer. “But, we must remember this is exactly why we have community mitigation strategies and unprecedented restrictions in place. Our collective goal remains to slow the spread of cases as much as possible. Together, we can do this. Take every possible opportunity to practice prevention and social distancing.”

All cases are in adults but the Washtenaw County Health Department did not provide their ages.

Because there is now evidence of community spread, the health department said it is no longer naming public low-risk exposure locations. Residents can assume there is a possibility the virus may be present when they are in public places in the community, the county said

The Health Department is not announcing evidence of community spread to cause panic, but to reinforce that people should be taking all recommended prevention measures.

“Assume the possibility for infection exists, as it does with many common illnesses. Most people will recover at home without medical care,” says Juan Luis Marquez MD, MPH, Medical Director with Washtenaw County Health Department. “Isolating at home if you’re sick and contacting your health care provider by phone for guidance will help prevent additional spread and make the best possible use of critical health care resources.”

Coronavirus: What it is and how it impacts you

Carolina Sanchez breaks down what you need to know about this health affliction.

To date, there have been 3 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus, all happened on Wednesday, March 18th.

Wayne County: 2
Oakland County: 1

The CDC says people most vulnerable to serious complications from the virus are older adults, and those with underlying medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or lung disease.

Since the first cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Michigan, Whitmer has declared a state emergency, closed all schools and prohibited gatherings of more than 250 people.

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.

Right now there's one big difference between flu and coronavirus: A vaccine exists to help prevent the flu and it's not too late to get it. It won't protect you from catching the coronavirus but may put you in a better position to fight it.

To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.

And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.

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