Coronavirus update: What you need to know about COVID-19 on Tuesday, March 17, 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 Tuesday (March 17).

As of 9:30 a.m., the state of Louisiana had confirmed 171 positive or presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in-state and four resulting fatalities.

Of those statewide cases, six were in St. Tammany Parish, including one being treated at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington, and one was in Washington Parish. The majority of in-state cases are in Orleans Parish (116 cases as of Tuesday morning) and Jefferson Parish (31 cases), according to state-provided figures.

The STHS outlook: St. Tammany Health System is prepared for COVID-19 in our communities. The following actions are among those that 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.
• In keeping with a Louisiana Department of Health order, STHS is prohibiting non-essential visitors to St. Tammany Parish Hospital.
• We are recommending patient video visits and other alternatives for in-person doctor’s appointments.
• For suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases, 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 any suspected cases. (Testing is currently being performed with authorization from the Louisiana Office of Public Health.)
• 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 national outlook: As of midday Monday (March 16), the CDC was reporting 3,487 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 in the United States since Jan. 21, including 68 deaths in 53 U.S. jurisdictions (49 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands). That’s up from Friday’s reported figures of 1,629 confirmed cases, including 41 deaths, in 46 jurisdictions.

The global outlook: As of Monday (March 16), World Health Organization figures showed 167,515 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported globally in 151 countries or territories, resulting in 6,606 deaths. That’s up from the 153,517 confirmed cases and 5,735 deaths in 144 countries or territories reported Sunday.

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

• Limit your contact with others by avoiding large crowds. (The CDC is recommending cancelling any events expected to draw more than 50 people for the next several weeks.) If it’s necessary to go out in public, practice “social distancing” by staying at least 6 feet away from other people.   
• 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.

Additional information can be found at stph.org/COVID-19; by calling the state’s 211 health information line; or by calling the St. Tammany Health System’s pre-recorded COVID-19 information line at (985) 773-1699, which is updated with new information as warranted.

Monitor stph.org/COVID-19 for coronavirus updates.