NM Department of Health Website For Coronavirus, Lab in NM Could Begin Testing For The Virus

We have an update from the New Mexico Department of Health and their new website for Coronavirus. We also have this report from KOB TV: Lab in New Mexico could begin testing for new virus

Hi everyone, we are resending this press release to reflect our newly revised webpage for the novel coronavirus. We’ve highlighted the new information below. Please check it out and consider sharing with your teams or audiences. Thank you! Department of Health still on alert for novel coronavirus A New Mexico Department of Health weekly advisory SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) continues to monitor and respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. While there remain no cases in New Mexico, the virus has spread to 11 countries outside of China, and ‘community spread’ has increased or been detected in several countries, including South Korea, Iran and Italy. Community spread means that cases have been confirmed with no travel to China and no known contact with another case of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week published a Level 3 Travel Warning advising US citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to South Korea. This is the same warning level as China. “We are taking all precautionary measures possible and preparing as advised by the CDC for potential community spread in the United States,” said Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Kathy Kunkel. The Department of Health has plans in place for how to accommodate many issues related to any spread of this virus to include in-hospital patient overflow, as well as plans for alternate sites to care for patients. NMDOH is also actively monitoring the hospital bed capacity in New Mexico and the availability of facemasks, respirators, and other personal protective equipment needed by medical personnel for infection control. The NMDOH continues to ask all persons returning from travel to China and now South Korea to call our 24/7/365 “Epidemiology Hotline” at 505-827-0006 for guidance on how to protect yourself and your community from the novel coronavirus, even if you are not sick. We also encourage healthcare providers to call NM DOH regarding ill returning travelers from China and South Korea. Healthcare professionals who suspect COVID-19 should immediately notify infection control personnel at their facility and contact the New Mexico Department of Health at: (505) 827-0006. It is again important to note that there are no confirmed cases reported from New Mexico. NMDOH to date has monitored about 30 travelers returning from China, and none have developed symptoms of COVID-19. Stay informed with the NMDOH dedicated novel coronavirus webpage that is updated in real time : https://cv.nmhealth.org/. # # #  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌

Moscow deports 88 foreigners for violating coronavirus quarantine – RIA
Moscow authorities are deporting 88 foreign nationals who violated quarantine measures imposed on them as a precaution against coronavirus, the RIA news agency cited Moscow’s deputy mayor as saying on Friday.

Read in Reuters: https://apple.news/ASs6_RLhvQ_-ysZLtBt26vg

Coronavirus: Hong Kong to quarantine all arrivals from three Italian regions and Iran, issues ‘red’ travel alert
Hong Kong authorities have strengthened quarantine measures on travellers from three Italian regions and Iran, and issued a “red” outbound travel alert for the four places after a surge in Covid-19 cases. From midnight on Sunday, everyone arriving in the…

Read in South China Morning Post: https://apple.news/ARuLr5y_cQ7ip7v8H_fjvGg

Shared from Apple News

From Dr. Jim Denison:

The stock market had its worst one-day point drop in history yesterday, falling nearly 1,200 points as worries about the coronavirus epidemic escalate. In light of the virus, companies are canceling business travel and corporate off-site events around the world and making plans for more employees to work remotely. Airlines say the epidemic could cost their industry as much as $100 billion.

The CDC has confirmed a coronavirus infection in a person in California who reportedly did not have relevant travel history or exposure to another known patient with COVID-19. This could be the first instance of community spread—the spread of an illness for which the source of the infection is unknown—in the US. It is also possible, however, that the patient was exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.

Churches are discussing ways to handle communion and worship service crowds in light of the virus and the flu. The US and Seoul have postponed joint military exercises as South Korea struggles to contain the virus. Hong Kong’s 800,000 students are studying online in the midst of a two-month school closure.