Two people appear to have the novel coronavirus, Orange County Health Care Agency officials announced Tuesday.
A man in his 60s and a woman in her 30s, who had recently traveled to countries with widespread outbreaks of what is officially known as COVID-19, tested positive here, but officials are sending samples to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm the results.
“The more you look for something, the more likely you are to find it,” said Dr. Nichole Quick, the county’s health officer. “Now that our Public Health Laboratory is able to perform COVID-19 testing, we expect to see more cases here in Orange County. Our residents should take everyday precautions to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like covering your coughs and sneezes, avoiding touching your face, and washing your hands frequently.”
Another person in the county who contracted the virus earlier this year has fully recovered.
The news comes as organizers of the second biggest annual convention in Anaheim have postponed the event because of concerns about the virus. Natural Products Expo West officials are planning to discuss a new date for the convention in Anaheim later this year.