Possible ‘Community Spread’ COVID-19 Case Has Links to Healthcare System

The new COVID-19 coronavirus case in California, announced by CDC late Wednesday, appears to involve someone who was already in the healthcare system, perhaps with active disease.
A statement released by UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California, noted the patient was transferred from another northern California hospital with “suspected viral infection,” and care teams took appropriate infection prevention precautions.
“Upon admission, our team asked public health officials if this case could be COVID-19. We requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, since neither Sacramento County nor the California Department of Public Health is doing testing for coronavirus at this time. Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19, a test was not immediately administered,” UC Davis Medical Center said.
CNN reported the patient was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 19, but a test was not ordered by the CDC until Feb. 23. The patient was then put on airborne precautions and strict contact precautions. The test was confirmed positive on Wednesday.
UC Davis also confirmed they are asking “a small number of employees to stay home and monitor their temperature,” out of an abundance of caution.
The patient is reportedly a resident of Solano County, according to CNN, which is where Travis Air Force Base is located. A number of repatriated citizens from the Diamond Princess cruise ship are currently under quarantine there, and in the last week, four new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed from this group, according to ABC 10. These patients are receiving treatment at local area hospitals.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/publichealth/85114