coronavirus – Page 48 – Memphis Flyer

Shelby County Health Department

There are still no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Shelby County, but health officials said late Friday that 20 people who have recently returned to Shelby County from China have been monitored.

Nine of those monitored have completed the 14-day isolation period prescribed by the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) and health officials across the country. None of the Shelby County travelers had visited the Hubei Province of China where the outbreak of coronavirus — now called COVID-19 — began.

Here is the SCHD’s full statement on the situation:

As a part of the global public health response to the novel coronavirus outbreak known as COVID-19, the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) has been monitoring 20 travelers recently returned to Shelby County from countries impacted by the outbreak.

None of the monitored travelers were in the Hubei Province of China where the outbreak began, and none had reported symptoms when they returned to the United States. However, they were asked to stay at home and limit contact with other people for 14 days after their return to the United States. SCHD personnel check in with the travelers at regular intervals to make sure they have not developed any symptoms.

There is nothing unique about the returned travelers in Shelby County. Travelers around the country who recently returned from China have also been asked to observe 14 days of social isolation.

Today, nine of the returned travelers in Shelby County completed the 14-day period. None reported any symptoms that would indicate COVID-19 infection. The Health Department will continue to monitor the other 11 travelers until they complete the 14-day period.

Additionally, the SCHD receives weekly reports from emergency rooms and health care providers throughout Shelby County in order to be alerted to any unusual cluster of symptoms that could indicate an outbreak. That information is then used to develop local interventions to protect the public.

There are no cases of COVID-19 in the Mid-South region, including Tennessee and Shelby County. If a case is detected, the Shelby County Health Department and its public health partners stand ready to take appropriate action.

Health Department Debunks Internet Rumor of Coronavirus at 201 Poplar (3)

Nope. Not according to the Shelby County Health Department Thursday afternoon.

“That is absolutely not true,” said Joan Carr, the department’s public information officer. “There are NO coronavirus cases or suspect cases in Memphis or specifically 201 Poplar.”

As of Wednesday, the virus has only been confirmed in four states — California, Washington, Illinois, and Arizona — by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials in Arkansas are awaiting test results for a patient who had recently travelled to China, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. That patient is in isolation and test results are expected tomorrow.

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

But if you tuned into Memphis social media Thursday, you might be wondering if the coronavirus has spread to the confines of the Walter L. Bailey Jr. Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar.

Still awaiting confirmation, I've been hung up on twice: a case of the Wuhan coronavirus has been found in the 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis jail.

Again, can't get someone official on the phone to confirm, it was a solid tip.

— Yvette d'Entremont (@TheSciBabe) January 30, 2020

Health Department Debunks Internet Rumor of Coronavirus at 201 Poplar

rumor has that there is a confirmed case of the Coronavirus at 201 Poplar

— webb (@eastmemphisslim) January 30, 2020

Health Department Debunks Internet Rumor of Coronavirus at 201 Poplar (2)

Carr said the annual, seasonal flu has killed eight children in Tennessee so far this year and has put thousands of people in the hospital. The flu is spreading through Shelby County right now, she said.

“We are literally giving the flu vaccine away at all the public health clinics right now, and very few people are taking advantage of it,” Carr said. “If Memphians are really worried about respiratory viruses, they should go out and get a free flu vaccine, because they are far more likely to get the flu from someone in the next cubicle than they are to get the novel coronavirus from China.”