COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is a disease caused by a respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. COVID-19 a new virus that hasn’t caused illness in humans before. Worldwide, COVID-19 has resulted in thousands of human infections, causing illness and in some cases death. Cases have spread throughout the world, with more cases reported daily. For updated COVID-19 information please visit Coronavirus.Maryland.gov.

COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person to person. People who are infected but do not show symptoms can also spread the virus to others. Close contact is described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as being within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. Cumulative total can be determined by adding individual exposures over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes).

If you become sick with fever, cough or have difficulty breathing, contact your health care provider, especially if you are over 60 years of age or have pre-existing medical conditions. If you do not have a health care provider, contact your local health department. Follow these steps:

1. Call your health care provider, local health department or emergency room before you go
2. Tell them about your symptoms, any recent travel and close contacts (such as people in your household)
3. Wear a mask

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