Coronavirus update: What you need to know about COVID-19 on Thursday, March 12, 2020

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is responding to an outbreak of a respiratory illness called COVID-19 caused by a new coronavirus first detected in Wuhan, China.  At particular risk are the elderly and those with underlying health conditions or compromised immune systems.

In an effort to keep the community informed, STHS officials – who are continuously in contact with the Louisiana Office of Public Health and the CDC regarding COVID-19 – have issued the following information for Thursday (March 12).

To-date, the state of Louisiana has confirmed 14 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in-state, one of which is in our parish. As of Thursday morning, STHS had no confirmed cases and had submitted tests for a total of four patients who met state criteria for testing. Of those patients, two have come back negative for COVID-19 and results are pending on the other two.

Additional information can be found at stph.org/COVID-19; by calling Louisiana's 211 network, which is staffed 24-hours a day; or by calling the St. Tammany Health System pre-recorded COVID-19 information line at (985)773-1699, which is updated with new information as warranted.

The St. Tammany outlook: St. Tammany Health System is prepared should a case of COVID-19 arise at one of its facilities. The following actions have been put into place:

• A system-wide protocol has been enacted at each of our facilities for the screening and isolation of any patient suspected of having the disease.
• To reduce traffic in our facilities, we are limiting visitation to one visitor per patient. In addition, casual and non-medical visitors are being asked to reconsider planned visits to STHS facilities, including St. Tammany Parish Hospital.
• We are recommending patient video visits and other alternatives for in-person doctor’s appointments.
• If a case is suspected, we are implementing all appropriate isolation and protective measures outlined by the CDC and follow their guidelines for hospital personnel and visitors. Additionally, we will immediately notify the proper parties, including the Louisiana State Epidemiologist, the Office of Public Health and the CDC for their authorization to test. (Testing is currently being performed through the Louisiana Office of Public Health with their authorization.)
• We have performed drills at access points to ensure the safety of STHS personnel and visitors.
• We continue to gather the latest information from the CDC, OPH and World Health Organization. We will update our processes as directed by the CDC and OPH.

The Louisiana outlook: As of Thursday morning, the state of Louisiana is reporting 14 presumptive positive in-state cases of COVID-19. One of those, an Orleans Parish resident, is being treated at Slidell Memorial Hospital. Neither STHS nor any of its partner facilities are treating any COVID-19 cases at this time. No Louisiana deaths have been reported due to COVID-19.

The national outlook: As of midday Wednesday (March 11), the CDC was reporting 938 confirmed U.S. cases of COVID-19, including 29 deaths, in 38 states plus the District of Columbia. That’s up from day-earlier figures of 647 confirmed cases, including 25 deaths, in 35 states plus the District of Columbia.

The global outlook: As of Wednesday (March 11), World Health Organization figures showed 118,322 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally in 113 countries or territories, resulting in 4,292 deaths. The majority of cases to date have occurred in China, which has reported 80,955 cases and 3,162 resulting fatalities.

At your home: St. Tammany Heath System infection prevention officials recommend the following preventative steps:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap, water and friction. If soap is not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Cover your mouth or nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your upper arm, not your hands.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces with 1:10 bleach product or an alcohol-based cleanser containing more than 60 percent alcohol.
• If you have a fever over 100.4 degrees, a cough or congestion, stay home.