Coronavirus risk in U.S. is low, health officials say

JACKSON CO. Ore. — With the coronavirus being declared a global emergency, officials around the world are monitoring the illness.

Jackson County Public Health officials are watching out for the virus, but say the risk in the U.S. is low. There are five confirmed cases in the U.S. with the closest case in the bay area. As a precaution, local health officials are creating a plan now.

“We know exactly how we are going to isolate that person and test that person and so I’d say we’re all in good hands and at the moment there is no disease in the state that we’re aware of,” Dr. Jim Shames, Jackson County Public Health official, said.

Symptoms of coronavirus are similar to a common cold. To date, in china there are more than 78,000 cases reported, including 170 deaths.