BOISE, Idaho — Medical experts in Idaho are saying the new strain of coronavirus making international headlines is not the end of the world here in the Gem State.
They say people are much more likely to come down with the flu.
This comes as the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global health emergency. For the first time in the U.S., the Wuhan coronavirus has spread from one person to another. That occurred in Illinois. The Center for Disease Control says the risk to the American public remains low.
Nevertheless, the Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare is prepared if there is a coronavirus case here.
"Public health officials around the state, both at the state level and local level, are collaborating to make sure all of our providers and our clinicians know what to expect,” Deputy State Epidemiologist Kathryn Turner said.
Turner is referring to what health care providers know to expect if someone walks into a hospital and ends up having the "novel coronavirus," also known as "Wuhan coronavirus," a respiratory disease that made its way to the U.S. from mainland China.
“We've been communicating with them about how to manage that patient,” Turner said. “What kind of history to take and how to contact the public health officials and what might happen from there if that patient is determined to possibly be a case of novel corona virus.”
Turner reiterated though that the chances of this happening in Idaho are low.
“The message is right now our risk of getting coronavirus in Idaho is very very very small,” said, Dr. Ryan Lindsay, chair of Idaho State University-Meridian's Community and Public Health Department.
Lindsay told KTVB that people in Idaho are much more likely to get sick from the flu.
“We're in the middle of an aggressive influenza season,” he said. “Where nationwide over 8,000 have died of the flu and we have no deaths of the coronavirus in the US at this time.”
According to Idaho Health and Welfare, 12 people have died from the flu during the 2019-2020 season.
“It has been impacting some of our youngest residents harder than we would expect from previous years, we have had some children that have been impacted by influenza and unfortunately have passed away,” Turner said.
Even though the chances of getting the novel coronavirus are low in Idaho, hospitals are at the ready if someone comes in who might have the disease.
"If we have anybody that looks like they might be a case, we are on it and break the chain of transmission as soon as possible,” Turner said.
Lindsay and Turner recommend doing a few things to protect yourself from the flu: things like washing your hands, staying home if you're sick, getting your flu shot.
When it comes to treating the coronavirus, Turner said there is no recommended treatment at this time.
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“It's about supporting the patient, keeping their symptoms under control,” Turner said. “Those that are hospitalized probably will have to have extra care for their respiratory wellness. They might be put on a ventilator if they're very ill but mostly it's taking care of the symptoms.”
Unless someone has recently traveled to China or has come in contact with someone who has been to China recently, they say people should not be that concerned with the coronavirus.