March 18, 2020 NEWS RELEASE: Tulare County Positive COVID-19 Cases Rise to Five

Tulare County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Haught has announced both a fourth and fifth case of positive COVID-19 tests in Tulare County.

The fourth patient is an adult between the ages of 18-25, was a traveler to Europe, and came home and self-quarantined. Once the individual began to experience symptoms, they received a test, which the Tulare County Public Health Lab found to be positive. The patient is well enough to continue to self-quarantine at home. Two contacts have been identified and have been instructed to self-quarantine.

The fifth patient belongs to a vulnerable population, over 65 years of age, and is considered person-to-person spread through direct contact. The public health branch has begun their investigation, and no new contacts have been identified.

The State of California now has 598 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Tulare County HHSA continues to urge individuals to monitor your health closely.

  • If you are ill, please stay home
  • If you are a member of a vulnerable population, please stay home as much as possible
  • If you are a person who has traveled outside the county or country, please call 2-1-1 to find about the potential need to self-quarantine
  • Please call 2-1-1 if you have the symptoms of COVID-19, such as
    • Fever
    • Cough
    • Inability to take in a deep breath
    • Other lower respiratory symptoms

Community members with urgent questions about or symptoms of COVID-19 in Tulare County can call 2-1-1 to be connected to the information and resource hotline.

If you are a member of our senior population, over 65 years of age, and you need assistance with questions and resources, please contact K/T AAA at 1-800-321-2462 or online at www.ktaaa.org.

Please note that although testing for COVID-19 is occurring at the Tulare County Public Health Lab, all results are only available through the testing physician.


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