Fourth case of coronavirus found in Santa Clara County

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The fourth case of coronavirus was reported Saturday in Santa Clara County, county public health officials said.

The fourth case involves a woman who is a “household contact” of the woman who is the county’s third case announced Friday, according to a statement issued Saturday afternoon.

The woman who is the county’s fourth case, who is not in the hospital, has isolated herself at home.

The third case involves an older woman who has chronic health conditions and was hospitalized for a respiratory illness, public health leaders said. El Camino Health confirmed she received care at its Mountain View hospital.

The department did not provide more details about either case due to medical privacy and to protect their identities.

The news comes a day after Palo Alto Unified was notified of a school district parent who was exposed to someone with coronavirus. In response, the district sent home the parent’s two children who attend Palo Alto High School and JLS Middle School, Superintendent Don Austin said in an email to families.

The county’s first two cases were reported in late January. A county resident who traveled to Wuhan, China, returned by plane at Mineta San Jose International Airport on Jan. 24 and has since recovered. The second case involves a woman who traveled from Wuhan to the county on Jan. 23 where she visited family.

In the first two cases, the patients had mild symptoms and did not require hospitalization but they remained in quarantine, according to public health leaders.

To prevent infection, people are encouraged to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when hand-washing is not available. People should cough into a tissue or an elbow, not their hands, then throw the tissue away and wash their hands. They should avoid touching their faces.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.