What will a visit to the Bellingham ER be like with concerns over coronavirus spread?
Emergency Department visits at St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham have remained steady, despite concerns over the spread of novel coronavirus in Western Washington.
“We’re not really noticing an increase in the ER,” hospital spokesperson Bev Mayhew told The Bellingham Herald Wednesday, March 4. “It’s been steady for this time of the season and pretty normal with flu and other illnesses in the air.”
The hospital continues to encourage people who have fever and flu-like symptoms and believe they may have been in contact with somebody with COVID-19 to call their medical provider first, before going to the hospital or a clinic, Mayhew said.
“That way we have some advance knowledge before people come in,” Mayhew said.
Whatcom County has no confirmed coronavirus diagnoses, according to the Whatcom County Health Department. But the number of people being tested for the new coronavirus in Whatcom County is now at three, according to the Health Department’s website.
Coronavirus is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. The CDC says it’s possible to catch the disease COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which may occur two days to two weeks after exposure. The disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weak immune systems.
So far, more than 94,000 cases have been reported worldwide, with about 3,200 deaths, the vast majority of them in China. In the U.S., 128 cases have been reported, including 10 deaths in Washington state out of 32 reported cases.
Mayhew said the hospital has planned for confirmed cases in Whatcom County, but “we plan for scenarios like this year-round.”
According to a PeaceHealth release Tuesday, March 2, the hospital group has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local public health agencies to develop preparedness plans to ensure the safety of patients, clinicians and caregivers, including:
▪ “Screening protocols to identify those who have traveled abroad or have symptoms.
▪ “Facilitating lab testing for patients who may be at risk.
▪ “Implementation of CDC-recommended isolation processes and procedures.
▪ “Assurance of adequate supplies of protective equipment in all locations, including masks and appropriate signage.”
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
