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Emergency officials prepare for coronavirus

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EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is from the county's first meeting on preparing for the Coronavirus, which was held the last week of February. The risk posed by the coronavirus in Laclede County is currently considered low, but the Health Department and Missouri Department of Health and Human Services are closely watching the situation. Laclede County Health Department Administrator Charla Baker provided an update on the virus at a meeting Thursday with area emergency agency representatives. She said that in the United States, eight states have reported positive cases. A total of 15 cases have been confirmed, with another 45 from repatriated individuals returning from Wuhan, China and the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship. No known cases have been identified in Missouri, Baker said. There is ongoing 14-day monitoring of individuals in some Missouri counties. Laclede County does not have any monitored cases at this time. Baker said the Health Department is on-call to respond to a monitoring need if it arises. In a statement issued Wednesday, she said people should take precautions despite the current low risk. “While the COVID-19 is a major concerns and is being watched closely by MoDHHS and Laclede County Health Department, at this time the risk to our residents can be considered low, especially with no history of travel to China,” Baker said. “However we always encourage our county residents to protect themselves and take precautions.” Baker said they are working with other agencies to monitor the status of the virus. “We are also working very closely with our Laclede County Office of Emergency Management and may other county, city and public partners,” she said, The federal government is requiring travelers coming to the United States who have been in China in the last 14 days to be routed to 11 airports, none of them in Missouri, where they are screened for their travel history and symptoms. She said anyone coming from Hubei Province, China, will be quarantined by the federal government for 14 days at one of the 11 airports. Travelers from other locations in China without symptoms will be allowed to continue to their destinations. These travelers will self monitor with public health supervision. The MoDHSS will be alerted and local health department will begin the 14-day process of monitoring the individual for symptoms. COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that is related to viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past. Local emergency agencies met Thursday at the Laclede County Office of Emergency Management meeting room in Lebanon to discuss precautions. The meetings are to continue weekly while the threat remains. More information is available at the website health.mo.gov/coronavirus, cdc.gov/coronavirus or call the Health Department at 417-532-2134.