SPOKANE, Wash. — A health care worker at MultiCare Spokane Internal Medicine Clinic has tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The results of the lab work came in on Thursday afternoon, according to MultiCare.
All patients who could have been in contact with this worker during this period will be contacted by MultiCare who will ask them to monitor their symptoms. All patients who show symptoms will be offered testing.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
The Spokane Reginal Health District has been notified.
“We know that we are in an unprecedented time and we are doing all possible to keep both patients and employees safe,” MultiCare’s spokesman, George Hampton, said. “We feel for any patients or employees affected. We are grateful to our employees who work on the front lines of this health emergency.”
MultiCare is cleaning and disinfecting the entire clinic. This will be completed before any patient visits at the clinic.
Any colleagues who have shown symptoms will be tested and isolated.
MultiCare had enacted a process of restricting visits to the clinic by offering virtual visits or postponing routine visits as warranted, which resulted in a low volume of patients at the clinic during this period.
MultiCare regularly reviews its patient and employee exposure policies and procedures as new evidence-based best practices are available.
Nine Spokane County residents have tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to the Washington State Department of Health on Thursday.
The person with the ninth confirmed case of coronavirus in Spokane County lives at a retirement home in Spokane Valley, according to Kelli Hawkins of the Spokane Regional Health district.