PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — State health officials confirmed Tuesday that two people in Michigan have tested positive for Coronavirus; a middle-aged man from Wayne County and a middle-aged woman from Oakland County.
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Both patients are currently hospitalized and in respiratory isolation, according to spokespeople from Wayne and Oakland Counties. One patient is hospitalized at the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor.
The Oakland County patient recently traveled overseas, according to state health officials.
"The country that she traveled to had not reported any cases. And the fact that she did become infected in a place that had no cases reported just simply tells you that this is global now," said Dr. Russell Faust, the medical director for Oakland County.
"This is still a low-level risk in our county. It’s one person and we take that very seriously, but we also understand it’s still one person at this time. And so, we’re going to continue to monitor this on a daily basis," said Oakland County Executive David Coulter.
Right now, the county is in the process of investigating any people she may have exposed.
Medical Director for Oakland County: "The country that she travelled to had not reported any cases. And the fact that she did become infected in a place that had no cases reported just simply tells you that this is global now," @wxyzdetroit #Coronavirus #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/HF0OlpYjVP
— Jenn Schanz (@JennSchanzWXYZ) March 11, 2020
“Early results suggest minimal [exposure.] She returned, she went to the hospital," Dr. Faust said.
Dr. Faust noted the Coronavirus doesn’t appear to linger for hours in the air or on surfaces, so at this point, county officials aren’t publicizing every location this patient may have visited, maintaining that the exposure risk for people without direct contact is low.
According to Dr. Faust, the female patient in Oakland County "is doing well."
In response to the first confirmed cases in the state, Gov. Whitmer declared a state of emergencyand also formed four task forces to help slow the virus spreading.
– COVID-19 Task Force on State Operations - covers all aspects of state operations, including employment and facilities
– COVID-19 Task Force on Health and Human Services - covers the provision of medical and human services, including protecting the healthcare workforce
– COVID-19 Task Force on Education - covers K-12 public schools and universities and colleges
– COVID-19 Task Force on Economy/Workforce - covers general economic impact, workforce, supply chain, business continuity, and related issues
