East Orange, NJ, March 9, 2020: The City of East Orange is aware of the continued reports about the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV) and want to ensure that our employees and residents have the most up-to-date information, said city officials.
What We Know:
• The CDC continues to closely monitor the virus that first started in Wuhan, China and is considered to be a serious public health concern; however, the immediate health risk to the general public in the U.S. is low at this time.
• Given that this is a new virus, there is still much to be learned about how it spreads and other features of the virus.
• To date, there have been no confirmed cases within the City of East Orange; however, the Department of Health and Human Services, local health officers, public health and health care professionals continue to participate in teleconferences with the New Jersey Department of Health to receive important updates and guidance.
• Entrance screenings have been implemented at 11 U.S. airports to identify passengers from affected areas who may be ill.
Signs and Symptoms:
There is limited information currently on the full range of clinical symptoms; however, the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is causing symptoms consistent with a respiratory illness such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms vary from mild to severe and may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure.
Prevention is Key:
• Practice good hygiene
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, not your hands
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
• Stay home if you are sick and avoid contact with those who are sick
• Review and follow CDC travel advisories when planning travel. If you become ill after returning home to the U.S., call your healthcare provider before going to the doctor’s office or emergency department of a hospital
“Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to the virus should contact their doctor or local health department immediately,” said Dr. Monique S. Griffith, Director of Health and Human Services.
If you have any questions, please contact the East Orange Department of Health and Human Services at 973-266-5480 (during the day), 973-518-3969 (after hours) or call center: 1-800-222-1222 or 1-800-962-1253 if in NJ, but not using a non-NJ cell phone. The call center is open 24/7 and has multi-language capacity but will not be able to diagnose or give specific recommendations. Callers who need medical advice should contact their healthcare provider.
**Caution** The CDC is not deploying teams of people to go door-to-door to conduct surveillance. If you are approached and have any questions about any individual claiming to be from the CDC, please contact the East Orange Police Department at 973-266-5000.
For more information on the virus, please visit www.njpies.org.
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