Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has declared the coronavirus a public health emergency in the United States.
“Following the World Health Organization’s decision to declare the novel coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern, I have today declared that the coronavirus presents a public health emergency in the United States,” Azar said from The White House Friday afternoon.
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern on Thursday.
President Trump has taken action to minimize the spread of coronavirus through a cross-agency, public health response, Azar said.
Beginning at 5 p.m., EST on Sunday, February 2, the U.S.will implement temporary measures to protect citizens and contain the virus, he said.
Any U.S. citizen returning to this country who has been in Hubei Province in China during the previous 14 days will be subject to up 14 days of mandatory quarantine, he said.
Any U.S. citizen returning from other regions of China within the previous 14 days will undergo health screenings at select ports of entry and be subject to up to 14 days of monitored self quarantine.
Additionally, the president has signed a proclamation temporarily suspending entry into the U.S. of any foreign national who poses a risk of transmitting the virus. As a result, foreign nationals other than immediate family of U.S. citizens or permanent citizens, who have traveled in China in the last 14 days will be denied entry at this time, Azar said.
These actions complement the work of China and the WHO to contain the outbreak, he said.
“It is likely we’ll continue to see more cases in the United States in coming weeks,” Azar said.
While the risk is low, be assured that the full weight of the U.S. government is behind efforts to safeguard the public, he said.
WHAT’S THE IMPACT: THE NUMBERS
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield said the coronavirus is a serious health situation in China but that the risk to the American public is low.
As of today, he said, there are close to 9,700 cases in China, with more than 200 deaths. Another 23 countries have confirmed 132 cases. This includes 12 individuals in six countries who did not travel to China.
Six cases have been confirmed in this country, with the most recent case that of an individual who did not travel to China, but who had close contact with someone with the virus, Redfield said. Also in the United States, currently 191 individuals are under investigation for potentially having the virus.
“This is a significant global situation that continues to evolve,” he said.
There are many unknowns to the coronavirus, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
He gets asked, he said, why is the U.S. paying such close attention to the coronavirus when there are 8,000 deaths from influenza.
The reason is that despite its morbidity, there’s a certainty to seasonal flu, he said. In March and April, the number of cases will predictably decrease.
The coronavirus is an unknown.
When a person is tested for the virus, health officials can’t say with 100% certainty whether that person has coronavirus.
“The number of cases have steeply inclined each and every day,” Fauci said.
THE LARGER TREND
Earlier this week, Azar publicly addressed concern about the coronavirus but did not declare a public health emergency.
At that time, the virus had not spread at home. Since that time, one case in Illinois is known to have spread by person to person transmission.
The confirmed cases are in California, Washington, Arizona and Illinois.
The CDC has expanded the number of U.S. airports which are screening passengers for the virus from five to 20.
There is no vaccine. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Other coronaviruses are SARS and MERS.
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus began in December in Wuhan, China and is linked to a large seafood and animal market that has since been closed.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com