San Antonio confirms second travel-related case of coronavirus

CONVERSE, Tex. (KTSA News) — The City of San Antonio announced Saturday afternoon it confirmed a second case of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The city said this person had recently traveled to Japan and had a history of underlying health issues.  City health officials said this placed this patient at a higher risk of contracting the virus.

The city said it is currently tracing who this person may have made contact with and will share that information when it becomes available.  It confirmed, though, that this is not a case of community spread.  Such a case would involve someone who had not contracted the virus while traveling abroad.

San Antonio Metropolitan Health District also announced a new coronavirus testing protocol.  Do not contact Metro Health and do not go to the emergency room if you think you may have the virus.  You are asked to contact your primary physician or an urgent care provider if you do not have a primary physician.

The new protocol:

1.  Patient shows fever or signs/symptoms of lower respiratory illness such as cough or shortness of breath and the patient has had close contact with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19
2.  Patient shows fever and signs/symptoms of a lower respiratory illness and significant respiratory illness, such as the flu, has been ruled out and the patient has risk factors that place them at a high risk of poor health outcomes or the patient is a health care worker or first responder
3.  Patient shows severe acute respiratory illness such as pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome, which requires hospitalization and has a negative flu diagnosis and no source of COVID-19 exposure has been identified

Metro Health is also extending its COVID-19 hotline hours, which are now 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  The hotline can be reached by calling 210-207-5779.  It is available in English and Spanish.