Valley Springs, CA….On Thursday, June 11, 2020, Calaveras Public Health reported four additional cases of COVID-19 in Calaveras County. The four cases include 2 people between the ages of 18 to 49 years old, one person between the ages of 50 to 64, and one person over the age of 65 years old. All four cases reside in Valley Springs. The source of exposure to COVID-19 for each case has not been determined at this time.

“It’s crucial to understand that as we open up more areas of our county so do opportunities for the virus to spread in our community,” said Dr. Dean Kelaita, Calaveras County Health Officer. “Everything has some risk, but we are not risk-free when it comes to COVID-19. Further cases may signal the need to take certain measures to protect the health and well-being of our community and slow the spread.”

Calaveras Public Health staff is investigating the new cases to determine any possible persons who may have had close personal contact with the positive individuals. Close contacts will be assessed and monitored for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 illness.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best protection against COVID-19 continues to be to:
 Stay at least 6 feet away from people outside of your household
 Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
 Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
 Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissues, or your elbow (not your hands)
 Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth to protect others

A COVID-19 testing site operated by OptumServe is open at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds Monday-Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Walk-ins are welcome. Appointments can also be made by going to www.lhi.care/covidtesting. For people without internet access, call (888) 634-1123. Days and hours will change to Tuesday-Saturday from 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. starting on Tuesday, June 16th. Testing is available to those age 12 and older.

“No-cost testing is available in Calaveras County and we urge anyone who needs a test to get one,” said Dr. Kelaita. “Testing tells you if you have a current infection and does not mean that you will not get sick. Regardless of the results, people should continue to take preventive actions to protect yourself and others.”

Symptoms can appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
 Fever or chills
 Cough
 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
 Fatigue
 Muscle or body aches
 Headache
 New loss of taste or smell
 Sore throat
 Congestion or runny nose
 Nausea or vomiting
 Diarrhea

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases for Calaveras County is now twenty-five. Of those confirmed cases, fifteen cases have since recovered. To date, there have been no reported deaths to COVID-19.
Confirmed COVID-19 numbers in Calaveras County by Age and Gender:
Age Gender 0-17 2 Female 14
18-49
11
Male
11 50-64 2 Unreported 0
65+
10
Unreported 0
Test Results Received 1,722
Recovered
15 Deaths 0
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES
25

Beginning Friday, June 12, 2020 Calaveras Public Health will group cases and release information on Tuesdays and Fridays each week. To receive the most up-to-date numbers, information, and resources related to COVID-19 visit the Calaveras County COVID-19 website at https://covid19.calaverasgov.us. Follow Calaveras Public Health on Facebook www.facebook.com/calaveraspublichealth/