Tuolumne Public Health Report Newly Confirmed COVID-19 Case

This illustration by Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. The illness caused by this virus has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Update 4-27-20 @10:30 AM: Tuolumne County Public Health was notified on 4/27 of a new confirmed positive COVID-19 test result in an 72 year-old male from Tuolumne County, who has recently been receiving care in a congregate living facility outside of the county. It appears that this is where he acquired the virus. The individual has not been in Tuolumne County since January and he will continue to isolate outside of the county. There is no known risk to Tuolumne County residents.

Original 4-25-20 @10:25 PM: Sonora, CA — Tuolumne County Public Health has reported another confirmed case of COVID-19, which brings the number of county residents infected with the virus to three.

Health officials relay in a written release that they were notified Friday evening of a 90-year-old female resident that tested positive for coronavirus, but she has recently been receiving care in a congregate living facility outside of the county. It is there that it appears, according to county health officials, she was infected with the virus. She is being hospitalized in that county, but neither it or the name of the home is being identified.

The woman left Tuolumne County in January, so health officials advise that there is no known risk to county residents. This brings the total number of identified positive cases in the county to five.

Of note, the number of non-resident cases in the county has gone from two to zero. That is because the state is now assigning confirmed cases to the county where the patient resides regardless of where they were infected or treated. That is the case with the third case as earlier reported here and the first case detailed here.

The other two county residents have recovered. Further details on the county’s testing tally can be found here.