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Mar 10

Loudoun County Announces First “Presumptive Positive” Case of COVID-19

Posted on March 10, 2020 at 3:38 PM by Heather Smith

News Conference – March 10 at 1:30 p.m.

Loudoun County officials will hold a news conference concerning COVID-19 today, Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street SE in Leesburg. Members of the Board of Supervisors and the Loudoun County Health Director will be on hand. The news conference will be televised live on Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40. It will also be livestreamed at loudoun.gov/webcast and will be seen live on the Loudoun County Government’s page on Facebook.

Background

The presumptive positive case is a resident of Loudoun County who is in their 40s. The individual is believed to have come in contact with a person with COVID-19 while attending Christ Church, Georgetown in Washington, D.C., which has reported a case. This resident was brought to the attention of the Loudoun County Health Department early Tuesday morning following testing for the novel coronavirus by the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services in Richmond. The positive test result is considered a presumptive positive, pending confirmatory testing by CDC. The patient is currently doing well and is isolated at home.

“We know the risk of coronavirus disease—or COVID-19—increases among close contacts of infected persons,” said Loudoun County Health Department Director David Goodfriend, MD, MPH. “In this case, based on the results of our contact investigation to date, the risk to the general Loudoun community remains low.”

“We anticipated that a case of COVID-19 would be diagnosed in our community at some point,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis J. Randall. “It is important that we all follow the prevention guidance issued by the CDC to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.”

The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can cause mild to more severe respiratory illness. In a small proportion of patients, COVID-19 can cause death, particularly among those who are older or who have chronic medical conditions. Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms appear within 14 days of being exposed to an infectious person. COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

To lower the risk of respiratory germ spread, including COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health encourages the following effective behaviors:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Avoid contact with sick people.
  • Avoid non-essential travel.

Stay Informed

This is a rapidly changing situation, and information is being shared as it becomes available.

  • Learn more about COVID-19 on the county’s loudoun.gov/coronavirus, which includes a link to sign up for updates. 
  • Residents may text LCCOVID19 to 888777 to receive text alerts from Loudoun County about COVID-19.
  • Residents are also encouraged to sign up for County News Releases through Alert Loudoun.

Information Line

The Loudoun County Health Department has a public information line, 703-737-8300, for questions from Loudoun County residents. The call center is open from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. daily.

Board of Supervisors Briefing

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will receive a briefing on the coronavirus outbreak and the county’s preparedness and response efforts during a special meeting of the Board on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Board Room at the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, SE, in Leesburg.

Included in the meeting packet are questions and answers that have been submitted by members of the public to the Board of Supervisors that will be published on the county’s website prior to the start of the meeting.

Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting or watch the briefing on Comcast Government TV Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, or online at loudoun.gov/webcast.

Health Director Answers Your Questions

Loudoun County Health Director Dr. Goodfriend will answer questions from the public about COVID-19 during a Facebook Live event on the Loudoun County Government’s page on Facebook. Log on to Facebook Thursday, March 12, 2020, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.