Hygiene encouraged to prevent spread of coronavirus

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Santa Barbara County's public health officer said people should not panic.

Dr. Henning Ansorg said the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 does not meet the criteria for a pandemic, at least not yet.

Although there is not a vaccine, like the one he recommends for the flu,
Dr. Ansorg recommends similar preventative measures.

"Many different viruses cause the same symptoms, some viruses we can protect ourselves from, others we cannot, this is unfortunately one we can't protect ourselves from except for good hygiene."

There are about 60 cases in the U.S.

Most of the patients were on the Diamond Princess Cruise ship docked in Japan and they are all adults

"Fortunately, it does not affect children. Unlike the influenza it doesn't affect a lot of children, actually children die from influenza, not a single child has died from this coronavirus, however, elderly folks, people with impaired immune systems for other reasons , weak immune system can get significant pneumonia and die from the disease," said Ansorg.

A quarantine at Point Mugu is less than 60 miles away from Santa Barbara.

The Centers for Disease Control is set to discuss the quarantine at Camarillo's Freedom Center by the Camarillo Airport on Wednesday at 1 p.m.