RI’s First COVID-19 Case Reported

UPDATE – (RIDOH)’s State Health Laboratories have identified a second presumptive positive case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and a separate person has been tested for COVID-19 today.

The presumptive positive case is a teenager, who is at home with mild symptoms. The adult being tested is in her 30s and is also at home with mild symptoms.

These two individuals went on the same trip to Europe in mid-February as the male in his 40s who RIDOH announced as Rhode Island’s first presumptive positive case of COVID-19. Saint Raphael Academy, which organized the trip to Europe in mid-February, will be closed for the remainder of this week.

The adult whose test results are still pending is a staff member at Achievement First Academy in Providence.

Achievement First Academy will be closed for two days, pending the results of the staff member’s tests. (The result is expected tomorrow, and the school is closing for an additional day to do environmental cleaning.)

PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) reports the state’s first presumptive positive case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), underscoring the importance of preventive hand-washing, sneeze/cough covering and staying home sick.

“We fully anticipated having a first case of COVID-19,” said RI Director of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott, “We are not seeing widespread community transmission in Rhode Island, and the general level of risk for Rhode Islanders is still low. However, everyone in Rhode Island has a role to play in helping us prevent the spread of viruses, just like the flu. It is very important that people wash their hands regularly, cover their coughs and sneezes, and stay home if they are sick.”

The person who tested for COVID-19 is in their 40s and had traveled to Italy in mid-February. RIDOH is coordinating closely with the hospital where the person is currently being treated and all infection control protocols are being followed, the health department reports.

RIDOH reports it is contacting the people who were in direct contact with this individual, with extensive efforts underway to ensure that they undergo a period of 14 days of self-monitoring for symptoms at home with public health supervision (quarantine).

As long as anyone exposed to the individual does not have symptoms outside of their home setting, the virus cannot spread to other people in the community. This individual’s immediate family members have been self-quarantining at home since it was determined that, based on this person’s travel history and symptoms, the individual met the criteria to be evaluated for COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is managing contact tracing for people on this person’s return flight to the United States.

This individual had limited travel in Rhode Island since returning from Italy. This person had not returned to their place of work since returning from Italy.

While the first confirmed case of the virus was expected, RIDOH officials note the state is not experiencing widespread or community spread of the disease, meaning the current case can be linked to travel to such an area. People who  have recently traveled from an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of COVID-19 and have symptoms of the disease (fever, cough, shortness of breath) should reach out to their healthcare provider and call ahead before going to a healthcare facility. The healthcare provider or facility will work closely with RIDOH.

COVID-19 Symptoms, Illness, Severity

The novel, or new, coronavirus/COVID-19 is similar to the flu, particularly in how it is spread from person to person. COVID-19 symptoms, which may appear 2-14 days after exposure, include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

While the illness is similar to seasonal influenza, it is currently less wide-spread than flu. However, it also causes a more serious illness and is less well-studied than influenza.

The COVID-19  fatality rate, according to reported cases and deaths from the World Health Organization last month, was estimated at about 3 percent.

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota reports 72,000 COVID-19 cases in mainland China, with a case-fatality rate (CFR) of 2.3 percent. The report suggests most cases are mild, but hit the elderly the hardest.

By comparison, the case fatality rate with seasonal flu is about 0.1%.

Person-to-person spread

According to the CDC, COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Public CORVID-19 tips:

•  Get your flu shot. Flu shots are your best protection against the flu, and they help protect the friends and loved ones around you who may be more at risk of getting very sick because of the flu, such as pregnant women, infants, and older adults. Flu vaccine can also help people avoid flu-related hospitalizations. This allows hospitals to focus on patients with more severe illnesses.
• Wash your hands regularly. When washing your hands, use warm water and soap. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand gel.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Flu is spread through coughing or sneezing on other people or into your hands. Cover your coughs and sneezes to prevent others from getting sick.
• Stay home from work or school when you are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious foods.
• Keep surfaces clean (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) by wiping them down with a household disinfectant.
• Don’t wear a mask unless you’re sick: You should only wear a mask if a healthcare professional recommends it. Face masks are generally used to prevent sick people from getting other people sick.

Business CORVID-19 tips:

• Actively encourage sick employees to stay home. Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay out of work until they are free of: fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines.
• Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible. If possible, maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member.
• Emphasize respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene by all employees. Employers can do this by displaying posters that encourage cough and sneeze etiquette and hand hygiene.
• Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces, such as workstations, countertops, and doorknobs. Use the cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas and follow the directions on the label.