A 32-year-old Frisco man has tested presumptive positive for the novel coronavirus and is in self-isolation, according to the Collin County health department.
The man, who has not been connected to any other cases, is the county's eighth case. The presumptive positive test result must still be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. County officials report the man has no underlying health issues.
Sixty others are being monitoring for the coronavirus in Collin County, according to health officials.
Updated March 15 at 9:23 a.m.
A seventh person has tested positive for the coronavirus in Collin County. The patient is a 56-year-old man in Plano, according to the county's website. His test results have not been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This presumptive positive case is in addition to the six other cases identified by Collin County over the last several days. The man has no underlying medical conditions and is quarantined at home, according to county information.
In addition, 63 people are being monitored for coronavirus in Collin County. No county employees have tested positive or are being monitored at this time.
County offices will continue to operate during normal business hours. Any county employee able to work remotely is being told to do so, the county's website said.
All non-essential court operations have been postponed until April 1; however, essential court proceedings will continue as scheduled. At the Collin County Detention Facility, inmate visitation and programs have been cancelled until further notice.
In addition, Commissioners Court will still meet at 1:30 p.m. Mondays.
Collin County has yet to issue an emergency declaration, according to its website. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins issued a state of emergency for Dallas County on March 12 after identifying five new presumptive positive cases there.
Updated March 14 at 11:15 a.m.
A sixth person has tested positive for the coronavirus in Collin County. The patient is a 47-year-old Plano woman, according to the county's website. Her test results have not been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This case is in addition to the five other cases identified by Collin County over the last few days. The woman has no underlying medical conditions and is self-isolating at home. County authorities said she is not connected to any other confirmed cases in North Texas at this time.
In addition, 63 people are being monitored for coronavirus in Collin County. No county employees have tested positive or are being monitored at this time.
County offices are still open and will operate during normal business hours. Any county employee able to work remotely is being told to do so, the county's website said.
All non-essential court operations have been postponed until April 1; however, essential court proceedings will continue as scheduled. In addition, Commissioners Court will still meet at 1:30 p.m. Mondays.
Collin County has yet to issue an emergency declaration, according to its website. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins issued a state of emergency for Dallas County on March 12 after identifying five new presumptive positive cases there.
Updated March 13 at 4:40 p.m.
Collin County District Courts are directing those who are sick to make contact to reschedule their hearings or trials.
All in-person hearings and jury trials deemed nonessential are being rescheduled. These directives are in place from March 16-April 1.
Essential court matters include family law cases, criminal cases, civil cases and juvenile cases, according to the courts' announcement.
Additionally, uncontested court matters will be heard, and the courts are working to develop a plan for electronic appearance, according to the March 13 announcement.
Updated March 13 at 4:40 p.m.
All classes and programs at Plano libraries, recreation and senior centers are canceled, but the facilities will remain open.
The city made the announcement on March 13, and the cancellations will remain in effect indefinitely.
“We are encouraging our community to use extreme caution when considering group gatherings or activities,” City Manager Mark Israelson said in a statement. “Everyone has a social responsibility to keep our community safe and healthy.”
Additionally, all jury trials at the city of Plano Municipal Court are postponed until further notice.
Updated March 13 at 12:40 p.m.
The St. Patrick’s Day Festival & Shamrock Run scheduled for March 14 at Tupps Brewery has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns. The event may be rescheduled, according to SBG Hospitality, the company planning the event.
Updated March 13 at 11:57 a.m.
A fifth person has tested positive for the coronavirus in Collin County. The patient is a 40-year-old Frisco woman, according to the county's website. Her test results have not been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This case is in addition to the four other cases identified by Collin County over the last few days. The woman has no underlying medical conditions and is self-isolating at home. County authorities said she has not traveled out-of-state recently but have yet to confirm if her case is related to others in the area.
In addition, 63 people are being monitored for coronavirus in Collin County. No county employees have tested positive or are being monitored at this time.
County offices are still open and will operate during normal business hours. Any county employee able to work remotely is being told to do so, the county's website said.
All non-essential court operations have been postponed until April 1; however, essential court proceedings will continue as scheduled. In addition, Commissioners Court will still meet at 1:30 p.m. Mondays.
Collin County has yet to issue an emergency declaration, according to its website. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins issued a state of emergency for Dallas County on March 12 after identifying five new presumptive positive cases there.
Updated March 12 at 8:23 p.m.
A 35-year old McKinney man is the fourth person to test presumptively positive for novel coronanvirus, according to the Collin County health officials. This case is unrelated to the other three cases identified earlier this week. This man's case will be considered a presumptive positive until the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention confirms a local lab's findings, the county website stated.
In addition, county officials have suspended mass gatherings at county facilities due to coronavirus concerns. As a result, the Collin County Master Gardeners' Garden Show scheduled for March 14-15 has been canceled. The event may be rescheduled.
Updated March 12 at 6:01 p.m.
Allen, Frisco, Plano and McKinney ISDs announced March 12 that each district will be extending spring break by one more week. Schools will be closed March 16-20. The districts said that they will be monitoring the situation closely and reevaluate before deciding to reopen schools on March 23.
Updated March 11 at 5:25 p.m.
The child whose initial test results came back as inconclusive is now testing negative for coronavirus, according to Collin County officials.
Updated March 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Collin County Health officials reported three confirmed cases of coronavirus on March 10.
The county released a statement the day before that a presumptive positive case had been identified in a Frisco man in his 30s. The man, as well as his wife and 3-year-old child, have now tested positive. The couple has three other children, two of whom tested negative and one whose test was inconclusive. That child is being re-tested, according to the county. A close family friend also tested negative.
In a March 9 email to parents from Frisco ISD Superintendent Mike Waldrip, the district confirmed that one of the man's children attends Tadlock Elementary School.
In the email, the district said that Tadlock will receive a special cleaning over spring break. District officials also asked that students and faculty traveling to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan or any additional countries added to the CDC Level 2 and 3 list stay home for 14 days after returning from break.
All seven individuals are in self-quarantine in their homes and are in stable condition, the release stated. The county health department has been monitoring the man’s family and is working to identify any contacts who may have been exposed while he was infectious. According to the March 9 statement, county health care staff will reach out directly to anyone found to have had close contact with the patient.
The father is believed to have been exposed to the virus while on a business trip to California in late February. He did not show any symptoms while flying home, and officials said he did not pose a risk to others who were on the same plane. Health officials also confirmed that the family’s school-aged children did not have symptoms and were not contagious at any time while at school.
The risk of coronavirus transmission remains low in Collin County, according to the county, but residents are still encouraged to avoid exposure to the virus by using everyday preventative measures.
Updated March 9
As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in the U.S., Collin County cities and school districts are taking their own preventative measures.
Find updates on the following entities below:
Originally posted March 9
As of noon March 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have tracked 423 total cases of the virus and 19 deaths in the U.S. in 35 states. Of these cases, 72 have been travel-related, according to the CDC. These numbers have nearly quadrupled over the past few days.
The immediate risk of coronavirus transmission remains low in Collin County, according to a March 9 county news release, but the county is still making an effort to prepare for the virus locally.
County health officials are encouraging residents to practice everyday preventative measures to help reduce the possibility of spreading the virus, according to release. Preventative measures include the following:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick;
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth;
- Stay home when you are sick;
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, and then, throw the tissue in the trash;
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe;
- Follow CDC recommendations for using a face mask;
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing;
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, and always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty; and
- Consult the CDC travel website for any travel advisories and steps to protect yourself if you plan to travel outside of the U.S
There is still not a vaccine to prevent coronavirus, according to health officials, so the best way to prevent illness is to avoid exposure to the virus entirely.
Coronavirus symptoms may appear between two to 14 days after exposure and may include fever, cough and/or shortness of breath.
The county does not have an on-site laboratory to test for coronavirus, but two commercial businesses with location in Collin County, Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, have announced their capability to preform testing, according to a March 6 county news release.
“Collin County does not endorse any commercial laboratory,” the March 6 release stated. “Decisions on which laboratory to use are made by the ordering provider and/or their healthcare facility and/or the individual being tested. Please refer to the respective laboratory for specific specimen collection, storage and shipping protocols.”
For questions, the county is encouraging people to call Collin County Health Services at 972-548-4707 during business hours or the sheriff's dispatch at 972-547-5350 for calls after hours.
More information on coronavirus can be found at the county's website here.
