Northeast Indiana health officials gathered at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum to discuss increasing concerns related to the coronavirus in the United States, and what Hoosiers can do if it came to Indiana.
As of Friday at 11:30, the ISDH has reported its first case of the coronavirus. The largest share of cases in a single state has come from California with 51, and neighboring Illinois has reported four.
Parkview infectious disease specialist Dr. Scott Stienecker likened the coronavirus to the 2003 Canadian outbreak of SARS.
He noted that SARS provides good insight into what individuals can do to prevent spreading the virus further, such as wearing protective masks over one’s mouth in places where the virus is prevalent.
But Stienecker says perhaps the most effective way to try and avoid the coronavirus or any other illness is to make a “cultural shift” by… practicing standard hygiene.
“Using soap and water for 20-30 seconds is effective; our alcohol hand gels are effective; our antimicrobial soaps are effective," Stienecker said. "So everything is effective as long as it’s… used right?”
But that’s not to scoff at the potential seriousness of the virus: of the 80 total U.S. cases so far, there are nine reported deaths. In China the death toll has already surpassed the SARS outbreak.
Some institutions are choosing extra caution amid the concerns: just this week Purdue University and Notre Dame both suspended travel abroad programs for the time being, and more health agencies plan to meet across the state in the coming weeks.
