San Juan Regional Medical Center is screening patients for respiratory symptoms and recent travel to China as a precaution as the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly around the world, including six confirmed positive cases in the United States.
As a precautionary measure, patients visiting the emergency department and San Juan Health Partners Urgent Care will be asked travel-related questions to assess their risk. People who may have been exposed to the virus include those who have traveled to China within the last 14 days and those who have been in contact with someone who has recently been in China. Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever and lower respiratory symptoms such as a cough, difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.
Those displaying these symptoms are asked to put on a mask to minimize exposure to other patients, visitors and staff members. Those who are well are asked not to come to the emergency department to reduce potential exposures.
Emergency preparedness teams at the hospital are closely monitoring the coronavirus and will continue to assess the situation and keep the community informed.
