INDIANAPOLIS ―The Indiana State Department of Health announced Thursday that 26 individuals are being monitored in Indiana for exposure to the coronavirus based on their history of travel or contact with an individual who has traveled to an affected country.
In a press conference, health officials said Indiana has no confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), and no one in the state is suspected of being infected at this time. To date, ISDH has worked with local health departments to monitor nearly 60 travelers in accordance with guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of people being monitored fluctuates as individuals complete the 14-day monitoring period.
The CDC says the immediate risk at this time is low for Americans who do not have risk factors, such as travel to an impacted area or contact with a person who has had recent travel to China or other affected countries. However, the CDC has urged Americans to begin thinking about steps they would take if their daily lives are disrupted.
“This is a time to plan, not to panic,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “The situation with this novel coronavirus is changing rapidly, and I know that can cause concern because we don’t have all the answers yet. What we do have, however, is a plan for how to respond if and when COVID-19 comes to Indiana.”
ISDH is working with state, local and federal partners to refine existing pandemic response strategies, which include specific measures to prepare communities to respond to local transmission of the virus.
“Indiana has responded to pandemics before, and we have many tools to keep Hoosiers safe,” Box said. “While we can’t predict which measures might be necessary, we have trained in their use and can deploy these strategies quickly if the need arises.”
COVID-19 is a new illness caused by a coronavirus that had not been previously identified. This virus was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, and has since spread globally. It is thought to be spread mainly person-to-person between people in close contact (within 6 feet) when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms include cough, fever and shortness of breath.
