Elementary-Age Child Among 2 New Coronavirus Cases In Calaveras County
CALAVERAS COUNTY (CBS13) — Two family members, including a child who attends Copperopolis Elementary School, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, public health officials confirmed.
Calaveras County Public Health officials said the Copperopolis family was exposed to COVID-19 outside of the county. According to officials, the parent contracted the virus from a job outside the county and infected their child.
The family has remained isolated in their home and public health officials are working to identify people who may have had close contact with the individuals who tested positive. Close personal contacts will be quarantined, officials said.
Following health officials' recommendations, Copperopolis Elementary will close for the rest of the week for cleaning. No other schools in Calaveras County have been closed.
Dr. Dean Kelaita, Calaveras County Public Health Officer, said these cases may contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in Calaveras County.
MORE: San Joaquin County Confirms First Coronavirus Case; Patient Was On Grand Princess Cruise Ship
Last week, Calaveras County health officials said several members of the community were self-isolating over coronavirus concerns after returning from the Grand Princess cruise that departed from San Francisco on Feb. 11, traveled to Mexico, then returned to the states on Feb. 21. It's unclear at this time if the confirmed COVID-19 cases were on the cruise ship.
At least a dozen of those passengers have now tested positive for COVID-19, including a man from Placer County who has since died. On Tuesday a San Joaquin County resident who was on the cruise tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The same cruise ship this individual was on took off on another journey after 2,500 guests got off in San Francisco last month. It was headed to Hawaii but was quarantined off the coast of California after 21 crew members and passengers began showing COVID-19 symptoms.
Officials are currently in the process of disembarking that ship in Oakland. Healthy passengers from California are being taken to Travis Air Force Base and passengers from other states are being taken to other military bases. International passengers were repatriated to their country.