3/6/2020 Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates
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Today, Governor Baker, Mayor Walsh of Boston, Chief of Health & Human Services Marty Martinez, and Secretary of MA Health & Human Services MaryLou Sudders provided an update about COVID-19 in a press conference.
Here is a summary of the press conference.
Breakdown of the total cases in Massachusetts:
There is one confirmed case and seven presumptive cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth.
There are four cases in Suffolk County. One of them being the positive confirmed case in MA and three others from the Bio-Gen Conference.
There are three cases in Norfolk County. Two of the cases are connected to the Bio-Gen Conference and the other is a male in his 40s who returned from an organized school trip in Northern Italy.
There is one case in Middlesex County. She is a female in her 60s who recently went to Europe including Northern Italy.
*Presumptive cases are sent to the CDC to be tested and confirmed – further updates to come as we receive them.
Facts to keep in mind:
Experts from the US Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are finding that for the vast majority of people who contract this disease, it is not deadly.
The Infectious Disease Bureau will work with MDPH and partners with the State to identify all close contacts. A ‘close contact’ is someone who has had direct face-to-face contact within 6 feet of someone up to 15 minutes and has interacted with a presumptive case within fourteen days.
COVID-19 is not an airborne illness, which means that you need to have direct contact to spread or contract it.
Best practices to keep in mind:
- Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds
- If you sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with your elbow (instead of your hands)
- Do not self-diagnose! If you feel sick, reach out to your health care provider to get further guidance
- If you feel sick, stay at home and avoid any community events
- Check-in on your neighbors and family members
Please visit the CDC website for more information as they post updates regularly.
Please visit this link to learn more about the evaluation of persons under investigation for COVID-19: