Flu patient from quarantined cruise ship being treated at unknown Sonoma County hospital

The Sonoma County Department of Health Services (DHS) today confirmed that one case of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patient — a passenger previously quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan — is being treated at a hospital in the County.

Officials say there is no cause for alarm, but will not identify the exact hospital.

The patient was transported to a Sonoma County hospital last night from Travis Air Force Base in Solano County, where some international travelers have been recently quarantined because of possible exposure to COVID-19. The patient tested positive for COVID-19, however they do not show any symptoms of the virus, such as fever and difficulty breathing.

The patient is among one of the recent U.S. evacuees from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, and is in the County receiving care to lessen the burden on the local health care system in the communities near the base. Sonoma County is not the only jurisdiction in the Bay Area to receive such COVID-19 patients from Travis Air Force Base.

Officials said the hospital and public health officials are working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to ensure the patients receive excellent care and that all procedures are followed to protect the community from COVID-19.

“The transfer of this case into a County hospital should not be a cause for alarm and I can assure you that proper protocols and safety measures are being taken in the care of this patient,” said Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Celeste Philip. “The County’s health system is prepared to respond to COVID-19 cases and we have been working with local health care providers, CDPH and CDC to minimize the impact to our County.”

The patient was not infected in Sonoma County. DHS will not release further details about the patient or facility to protect their privacy, according to a statement released Tuesday.

County residents should contact their healthcare providers if they have symptoms such as fever and cough and had close contact with someone with symptoms who returned in the last 14 days from China.

All travelers to the U.S. from China since Feb. 2 have been asked to self-monitor for symptoms under the guidance of their local public health department for 14 days after return.