By Jondi Gumz
The outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December, with a government report confirming dozens of cases. China reported the first death Jan. 11.
Since then, COVID-19 has spread worldwide, with more than 113,500 cases and 3,996 deaths, mostly in China, according to the Johns Hopkins University dashboard tracker, which reports more than 62,000 people have recovered.
As of March 9, there have been 423 cases in the U.S., concentrated on the West Coast, and 19 deaths attributable to COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which posts updates Monday through Friday at cdc.gov.
Worldometers, a data site owned by private company Dadax, reported seven deaths linked to cruise ship Diamond Princess and more U.S. cases and fatalities.
California had 114 cases and one death as of March 8, according to the California Department of Public Health, which posts updates at cdph.ca.gov. Of that total, 24 had returned from out-of-country flights, 37 are travel related, 23 due to personal contact, 14 are community acquired and 16 are source unknown.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and World Health Organization have declared public health emergencies.
The CDC recommends avoiding non-essential travel to China and to Italy, Iran and South Korea, where COVID-19 is spreading widely in the community and fatalities have increased. The CDC recommends older adults and those with chronic conditions postpone travel to Japan because of ongoing community transmission.
The University of California, which has a campus in Santa Cruz, cut short study abroad programs in China, Italy and South Korea, telling 350 students to come home. California State University also is working to get students abroad back home.
Washington State, which has reported 70 cases and 14 deaths, cancelled in-person classes and finals as of March 9. Many of the deaths were at the LifeCare Center, a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash.
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For general information on COVID-19 call 211, or text coronavirus to 211211, or visit www.santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus for updates and links to state and federal guidance.
Here are some more information sources:
Health Professionals: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- nCoV/hcp/index.html
Schools and Communities: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/community/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.go v%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fpreparing-individuals-communities.html
Higher Risk: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/index.html
California Department of Public Health: www.cdph.ca.gov