What we know about Georgia's 2 coronavirus patients
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Fulton County health officials have given an update on the two people in the county who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts and the county's interim District Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Ford announced that the patients involved in the case are a 56-year-old Fulton County man and his 15-year-old son.
According to Ford, on Feb. 22, the man traveled from a conference in Milan, Italy to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. At the time, the man did not show any symptoms of coronavirus.
On Feb. 25, the man began showing symptoms of COVID-19. Two days later, his son also began showing symptoms. After learning that other people at the conference in Milan had tested positive for the virus, the man and his son contacted their doctor and arranged to meet the doctor to get tested without putting the general public at risk.
Since being tested, both patients have stayed isolated in their Fulton County home with the man's wife and a 12-year-old child. Ford said both of the other family members have undergone testing and they are waiting on the results.
The man and his son are now showing limited symptoms, with Ford saying the 56-year-old is asymptomatic.
Due to the fact that the man did not have symptoms during travel, the CDC is not recommending passengers on the flight get tested because of the low risk of transmission. Ford said that the two children involved are homeschooled, so no Fulton County Schools are affected by the cases.
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Health officials are in daily contact with the family officials are working to identify others who may have been exposed. Those people will be contacted and monitored for fever and respiratory issues for the next few weeks.
Georgia health officials announced that the two cases late Monday night, with Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey saying the risk that the virus spreads in the community is low.
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Gov. Kemp said he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence, who was put in charge of the federal coronavirus response last week, about the cases just prior to his publically making the announcement.
“Our team has been working around the clock to prepare for any scenario. Already, state health officials have established contact with these individuals to gather more information, monitor their condition, and determine any exposure,” said Gov. Kemp. “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. We remain in constant communication with our partners at all levels of government, and we will continue to update members of the public as information becomes available.”
“We knew that Georgia would likely have confirmed cases of COVID-19, and we planned for it. The immediate risk of COVID-19 to the general public, however, remains low at this time,” said Dr. Toomey. “I cannot emphasize enough the need for all Georgians to follow the simple precautions that DPH always urges to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.”
Dr. Toomey said the virus is spread through the air, especially through coughs and sneezes. Symptoms will become apparent within 14 days of exposure. Those include fever, cough, runny nose, and difficulty breathing.
Health officials say, in addition to everyday health precautions, it is important to get a flu shot right now to prevent a weakening of the immune system and to help doctors rule it out when making a diagnosis.
The death toll from the coronavirus in the U.S. climbed to six Monday and the disease spread to ever more countries and world capitals, even as new cases in China dropped to their lowest level in six weeks.
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