A new concern has been identified by federal, state, and local officials in recent weeks with the outbreak of
the 2019 Coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China at the beginning of January. While
Tioga County Public Health is concerned, we want to reassure our residents that the threat for Tioga County
is low. This virus is spread through person-to-person contact; there has been at least one confirmed case of
person-to-person transmission in the United States.
Tioga County Public Health is monitoring the situation closely, receiving updates from New York State
Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on an ongoing basis as new information is
being released. Outbreaks such as this – when a new virus is emerging to infect people – are always
concerning, and residents may be worried about how it may impact them. According to the CDC, this is a
serious public health concern, but the immediate risk to the United States is low at this time.
Although there have been no confirmed cases in New York State nor Tioga County at this time, the World
Health Organization (WHO) declared the 2019 Novel Coronavirus a Global Emergency. This may alert some
people; however, this declaration allows resources to be shared much quicker to help prevent further
spread in other countries, particularly those with weaker health systems, and few resources.
Individuals should continue practicing good respiratory etiquette by washing their hands often, covering
their coughs and sneezes, throwing dirty tissues away, and staying home when sick to avoid spreading their
illness to others. This can help keep you healthy from not only the Coronavirus, but also the flu, common
cold, and other illnesses that are being seen in our area at this time. Flu, in particular, is more of a concern
for Tioga County currently, as we have seen over 400 cases of flu since October 1st, 2019.
Anyone who has symptoms (runny nose, headache, fever, cough, sore throat, and a general ill feeling) who
recently travelled to Hubei Province, or who have had contact with someone who has recently been to
Hubei Province, should call their health care provider immediately to make them aware of the situation.
Your healthcare professional will work with your state’s public health department and CDC to help provide
you with further direction on how to handle your case.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 607-687-8600. If you have further questions, please refer to
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.