ELK GROVE, Calif. — An elementary school student from Elk Grove tested positive for the coronavirus, the district confirmed Monday, just two days after announcing it would be canceling classes for a week.
The student is part of a family that has been quarantined since March 6 after two of the family members tested positive for the virus known as COVID-19. Four children in the household are enrolled at two schools in the Elk Grove Unified School District.
The four students were tested for coronavirus, but only one of them has tested positive for the virus.
The district said late Monday that the student who tested positive attends Maeola R. Beitzel Elementary School in the Vintage Park area of south Sacramento.
A scheduled press conference about the student and school closures from district Superintendent Christopher Hoffman was canceled Monday after district officials announced they would be meeting with Sacramento County health officials.
Hoffman on Saturday canceled school throughout the district through at least March 13.
Elk Grove Unified is the state's fifth-largest school district by enrollment, with more than 63,000 students and 7,000 staff members.
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BACKGROUND:
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
The CDC also says facemasks should only be used by people who show symptoms of the virus. If you’re not sick, you do not have to wear a facemask. The CDC says the immediate risk to the U.S. public is low.
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