The Florida Department of Health is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to closely monitor an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Chinese authorities identified the new coronavirus, which has resulted in more than a thousand confirmed cases in China, including cases outside Wuhan City. Additional cases have been identified in a growing number of other international locations, including the United States.
Though no cases have been reported in Florida to date, the Health Department is coordinating closely with local partners to investigate, confirm, contain and report any suspected cases, should they occur.
How to protect yourself:
There are currently no vaccines available to protect you against human coronavirus infection. You may be able to reduce your risk of infection by doing the following:
- wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
- avoid close contact with people who are sick
If you have cold-like symptoms, you can help protect others by doing the following:
- stay home while you are sick
- avoid close contact with others
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands
- clean and disinfect objects and surfaces
Treatment:
There are no specific treatments for illnesses caused by human coronaviruses. Most people with common human coronavirus illness will recover on their own. However, you can do some things to relieve your symptoms:
- take pain and fever medications (Caution: do not give Aspirin to children)
- use a room humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough
If you are mildly sick, you should:
- drink plenty of liquids
- stay home and rest
If you are concerned about your symptoms, you should see your healthcare provider. For more information on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak, symptoms, diagnosis, transmission and prevention, please visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/index.html
