Local Hospitals Told To Be Ready For Possible Coronavirus Outbreak

Stephanie Stahl reports.

POLICE SAY MAN WAS TAKEN TOJEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITALWITH HEAD INN BACK INJURIES.NOW LETS GET LATEST ON THECORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, MARKETSPLUMETED ON FEARS THAT THECORONAVIRUS WILL AFFECT GLOBALECONOMY.DO YOU JONES WAS DOWN 1200POINTS.WORSE ONE DAY DROP SINCE 2011.THIS IS AS VICE-PRESIDENTPENCE HOLDS A TASK FORCEMEETING AS LAWMAKERS NEGOTIATEA EMERGENCY SPENDING BILL.INSIDERS SAY IT COULD RESULTIN DOUBLE OR TRIPLE, 2.5MILLION-DOLLAR PLAN, REQUESTEDBY PRESIDENT TRUMP.IN OUR AREA DELAWARE COUNTYUNVEILED A NEW PAGE ON THEIRWEBSITE WITH RESOURCES FORCORONAVIRUS INFORMATION.IT INCLUDES LINKS TO THEPENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH, AND ROWAN UNIVERSITYIN NEW JERSEY IS SUSPENDINGSOME UNIVERSITY-RELATEDINTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, THROUGHMAY THE 31ST.HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIESTAHL JOINS US NOW AND LOCALHOSPITALS ARE PREPARING ASWELL.HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN TOLD TOBE READY EVEN THOUGH THERE ARENO POTENTIAL PATIENTSCURRENTLY BEING MONITORED INPHILADELPHIA MORE CASES AREEXPECTED WITH THE CORONAVIRUSOUTBREAK SPREADINGINTERNATIONALLY AND NOW, ALSOINSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES,THERE IS AT LEAST ONE PATIENTWITH NO TRAVEL CONNECTION.PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONALAIRPORT IS NOT, ONE OF THE 11U.S. AIRPORTS DESIGNATED BYCDC TO DO ENHANCED HEALTHSCREENINGS.SCREENING FOR TRAVEL ISPROBABLY NOT ENOUGH ANYMORE,IS IT?WE NECESSITY THERE ISCOMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.REPORTER: IN CALIFORNIA APATIENT IS HOSPITALIZED INISOLATION AT UC DAVIS MEDICALSENT INNER SACRAMENTO WITHWHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THEFIRST CASE OF THE COMMUNITYTRANSMISSION OF THECORONAVIRUS IN THE U.S.MEANING THE PATIENT WASPROBABLY INFECTED BY SOMEONEIN THE GENERAL POPULATION.WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE ANUMBER OF THE DAYS THAT SHEWAS IN HER COMMUNITY AND THATSHE THEN DID BEGIN ACCESSINGCARE.REPORTER: NATIONALLY THEVICE-PRESIDENT IS NOW INCHARGE OF THE NEWLY CREATEDCORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE.THERE IS NO HIGHER PRIORITYTHEN HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THEAMERICAN PEOPLE.REPORTER: CDC ISSTREAMLINING TESTING ANDHOSPITALS EVERY WHERE ARE TOLDTO GET READY WITH THEEXPECTATION THAT THE VIRUSWILL SPREAD.IT IS UNPREDICTABILITY THATIS THE CHALLENGE.REPORTER: DOCTOR JOHNNIESDIRECTOR OF INFECTIOUS DISEASEAT JEFFERSON.HE SAYS THERE IS CURRENTLY INTREATMENT FOR VIRUS BUTHOSPITALS WILL TREAT RELATEDISSUES IT CAUSES LIKEPNEUMONIA.WE, JEFFERSON, AND MOSTHOSPITALS, AND PERHAPSHOPEFULLY ALL HOSPITALS AREPREPARING THEMSELVES FOR THEPOSSIBILITY OF AN ON SLAUGHTOF WHAT COULD BE AN EPIDEMICOF THIN NEXT IN THE UNITEDSTATES.REPORTER: PHILADELPHIASCHOOL DISTRICT TELLS US THEYSENT FUR HOME TO PARENTSREASSURING THEM THAT OFFICIALSARE VIGILANT.THEY ALSO INCLUDED INFORMATIONABOUT CORONAVIRUS, INCLUDING,SYMPTOMS THAT ARE FLU-LIKE ANDPREVENTION WHICH IS HANDWASHING.IN NEW JERSEY, THE DEPARTMENTOF THE EDUCATION ISINSTRUCTING SCHOOL DISTRICTSTO MAKE PLANS SHOULD STUDENTSNEED TO LEARN FROM HOME.IF THE CORONAVIRUS BECOMES APANDEMIC IN THAT STATE.ALL READY GETTING READY