MARYLAND — Governor Larry Hogan's office says that a person confirmed to have Coronavirus Disease 2019, or COVID-19, was in Maryland from February 27-March 1 attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor.
President Donald Trump was among the attendees. Officials say those who attended or worked at the conference may be at some risk for acquiring COVID-19.
Prince George's County Health Department, along with the Maryland Department of Health, recommends members of the public who attended or worked this event monitor themselves for symptoms of a respiratory infection including fever, cold-like symptoms, cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
Residents who attended or worked this event should check their temperature twice a day and notify their health care provider and our Health Department if their temperature exceeds 100.4 or if they develop a respiratory illness. They should remain at home until they receive instructions about next steps from their health care provider or local health department. Residents who have questions about this information are encouraged to contact 2-1-1 to talk to a helpline representative.
“Immediately after learning of this individual’s interactions in our state, we began coordinating with the White House, the CDC and federal officials, the New Jersey Department of Health, Prince George’s County officials, and conference organizers,” said Governor Hogan. “Due to the scale of this conference, we are urging attendees who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to immediately reach out to their health care provider. We are providing this update not to unnecessarily raise alarm, but in the interest of full transparency and out of an abundance of caution.”
County agencies have taken a number of steps to prepare for the coronavirus and prevent the spread of germs. The County’s Office of Central Services (OCS) is working to quickly obtain essential items, such as sanitizing supplies and cleaners, to further increase the stock in our County warehouse.
In addition, OCS is instructing the County’s janitorial staff to incorporate cleaners that are EPA Registered Antimicrobial Products for Use Against COVID-19, into our existing daily routine cleaning of County Government buildings.
The Department of Aging, housed under the Prince George’s County Department of Family Services, has been in close contact with senior centers and nursing facilities across the County. They have implemented CDC guidelines to ensure our seniors remain safe and healthy, and are following flu and virus prevention protocols to ensure facilities are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) continues to work proactively to keep school and office settings safe, prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, develop plans to continue instruction in the event of any school closures, and share information. As a precaution, all PGCPS sponsored international travel is canceled until further notice.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County, continues to monitor facilities to ensure supplies are on hand and they are properly cleaned. At this time the Department's programs and services will continue as regularly scheduled.
As this situation evolves, Prince George’s County Government will continue to provide updates. The County’s Emergency Operations Center and Joint Information Center are activated at an enhanced level and staff are monitoring the situation. Residents can stay informed of the latest updates by visiting their coronavirus website: health.mypgc.us/coronavirus [princegeorgescountymd.gov].
If residents need further assistance or have additional questions, they should contact the Health Department at 301-883-6627, Monday-Friday.
