Local health officials more concerned about flu than Coronavirus

Local health officials more concerned about flu than Coronavirus

SAY THERE HAVE BEEN NO CASESOF CORONAVIRUS IN THE COUNTYYET.

IN FACT THEY SAY THE VIRUSSHOULDN'T EVEN BE THE MOST OFOUR WORRIES AT THIS POINT..."THERE IS NO INDICATION THATTHISWOULD BE ANY MORE DANGEROUS THANTHE REGULAR INFLUENZA WE FACEON A REGULAR BASIS."SEVEN PEOPLE IN KERN COUNTY HAVEDIED FROM THE FLU THISSEASON, ACCORDING TO THE HEALTHDEPARTMENT.

WHICH IS THE REASONWHY THEY'RE SAYING KERN'S MAINWORRY SHOULD STILL BE THE FLU."THERE ARE MORE, FAR MORE PEOPLEDYING FROM REGULAR INFLUENZATHAN WE KNOW OF ARE DYING, ASFAR AS THEPERCENTAGES GO, WITHCORONAVIRUS."STILL, THE CORONAVIRUS MAKINGHEADLINESYESTERDAY AS THE C-D-C WARNEDAMERICANSSHOULD PREPARE FOR QUOTE"SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION," NOWTHAT THE VIRUS HAS SPREAD INTOCOMMUNITIES IN ITALY, IRAN ANDSOUTH KOREA.

HEALTH OFFICIALSBELIEVE THE VIRUS MAY NOT BEABLE TO BE CONTAINED AT THE U-SBORDER."THE IMMIDIATE RISK TO THEGENERALAMERICAN PUBLIC REMAINS LOW, BUTAS WE HAVE WARNED, THAT HAS THEPOTENTIAL TO CHANGE QUICKLY."THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHHOLDING A NEWS BRIEFINGYESTERDAY, SAYING DOZENS OFAMERICANS ALREADY HAVETHE VIRUS BECAUSE THEYCONTRACTED IT ELSEWHERE, LIKECHINA, OR ON THE DIAMONDPRINCESS CRUISE SHIP DOCKED INJAPAN.

SO FAR THERE'S BEEN NOCOMMUNITY SPREAD ON U-SSOIL -- BUT ONE CITY TO OURNORTH TAKING PRECAUTIONARYMEASURES.

THE CITY OF SANFRANCISCO YESTERDAY DECLARING ASTATE OF EMERGENCY."WHILE WE HAVE NO ACTIVE CASESIN SANFRANCISCO AT THIS TIME, WE AREFOCUSING OUR EFFORTS ONPROTECTING THE PEOPLE WHO LIVEAND WORK HERE, AND WE WANT TO BEREADYFOR WHAT WE ANTICIPATE MAY COMEOUR WAY." BREED SAYS THEDECLARATION WILL KICKSTART THEMOBILIZATIONOF CITY RESOURCES, STREAMLININGSTAFF, ANDCOORDINATING AGENCIES ACROSS SANFRANCISCO.

KERNCOUNTY OFFICIALS CONFIRMINGTHERE HAVE BEENNO CASES OF CORONAVIRUS LOCALLYYET -- THE AGENCYREMINDING THAT YOU CAN TAKESTEPS TO AVOID BOTH THECORONAVIRUS AND THE FLU."WASHING YOUR HANDS, PRACTICINGGOOD HYGEINE, STAYING HOME IFYOU'RE SICK, THAT'S THE BESTTHING TODO FOR BOTH OF THESE."THE KERN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OFPUBLIC HEALTH SAYS IF THEREWERE TO BE ANY CASES OF THEVIRUS LOCALLY, THEY'D BE THEFIRST TO KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'D BERESPONSIBLE FOR WORKINGWITH THE CDC TO TEST FOR IT.

INTHE STUDIO AUSTIN WESTFALL23ABC CONNECTING YOU.THE BAKERSFIELD