By Matt Roy
Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

While a new virus drives fear in communities in China and around the world, closer to home, a single confirmed case and some widely viewed social media hoaxes have Valley residents worried — perhaps unnecessarily.

Just yesterday, the World Health Organization declared a global emergency over a mutated strain of Coronavirus, a new variant of viral infection, which broke out last week in China and has since spread to more than a dozen countries, according to an Associated Press report.

Only a handful of cases have been confirmed in the U.S., including one in the Phoenix area, which made national news.

State officials confirmed diagnosis of one individual under the age of 60 who was affiliated with Arizona State University and had contracted the virus after traveling to Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

That patient was not an on-campus resident, but five individuals believed to have been in close contact are currently being evaluated, according to reports.

The situation is serious, but state health officials are warning against panic.

“The Arizona Department of Health Services, the CDC and our county public health partners are taking the disease investigation seriously,” stated Chris Minnick, communications director for the Arizona Department of Health Services. “The immediate risk of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus to the general public is believed to be low at this time.”

Mr. Minnick said ADHS will provide updates online at azhealth.gov/coronavirus.

But while health officials here and across the globe scramble to contain the virus and learn more about it, local pranksters have taken to social media to stir false fears.

One post circulated on Facebook Wednesday claimed a West Valley  high schooler had contracted the disease and been quarantined. 

“Student from Valley Vista High School in solitary due to Coronaviridae aka Conoravirus … Officials say the student at Valley Vista High School is severely ill and is voluntarily in isolation …” the post claimed.

Dysart Unified School District officials said no cases have been confirmed at Valley Vista or any other district facility.

“We have not had any confirmed cases of Coronavirus,” stated Renee Ryon, spokeswoman for the district. “We sent this message out to parents earlier this week.”

The Dysart parents got this message from district officials:

“It has come to our attention that rumors are circulating about students in the district contracting the coronavirus. These rumors are not true, and in fact originated from a website that is designed solely for creating ‘pranks’ or ‘fake news.’ If there is ever a concern for student health or safety, we will always notify you using our official district channels.”

Parents of students at Independence High School in Glendale received a similar message by robocall late Tuesday night, which was attributed to Principal Robert Ambrose and aimed at dispelling unnecessary concerns.

“Independence High School is aware of a Coronavirus hoax circulating among students’ social media. A screen shot appearing to come from a local news station alleges that a student from our school has been diagnosed with the virus. Be assured there are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus in our school. If that should change, you will be informed directly by the district or the school, not by a third-party source. It remains safe to attend school and on-campus events,” the recording stated.

Officials at both the Dysart and Glendale districts also reminded parents such disruptive behavior is not only in poor taste, but can carry serious ramifications for the perpetrators if caught.

“Please remind your children about the serious consequences of spreading rumors or reposting them on social media. Inciting fear over public safety concerns is not a joke,” Dysart officials warned.

“Posting such rumors is a serious disruption to the educational environment. Students found responsible for posting these rumors will face appropriate school discipline,” the Glendale robocall echoed.

Beyond potential punishment at school, social media hoaxes like these could violate state law.

According to ARS 13-2911, any “act that leads to evacuation or closure of any property of the educational institution or the postponement, cancellation or suspension of any class or other school activity” is at least a potential misdemeanor offense.

According to the statute, this can apply when “any person or persons are committing any act that interferes with or disrupts the lawful use of the property by others at the educational institution.”

School districts are required to develop policies and procedures to address such incidents, as required by Arizona Revised Statute.

However, Surprise Police spokesman Sgt. Tim Klarkowski said he was unaware of any investigations yet launched by his department into the false social media posts.

While the hoaxes may have raised unwarranted fears, Gordon E. Carr, M.D., who is assistant professor of medicine at University of Arizona and chief medical officer at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, urged calm along with reasonable concern.

“I don’t think there’s any reason for panic,” said Dr. Carr. “I think it’s prudent to keep an eye on what’s happening. Obviously, we as a health system are in daily contact with local, state and federal health authorities to make sure we’re doing everything we need to be doing to be prepared to take care of our community. But right now, I don’t think there’s any cause for panic based on the information we have about the virus so far.”

The doctor said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides regular updates on the Coronavirus and other health concerns at the agency’s website.

As of Tuesday, U.S. officials had evaluated 165 cases, with five positive confirmations, 68 cases disconfirmed and 92 still pending results.

So far, there have been confirmed cases in four states, including Arizona, California, Washington and Illinois. Other suspected cases are currently under investigation in 36 states, however.

Learn more at cdc.gov.

While he urged against overreacting, Dr. Carr said authorities are urgently studying this new strain of virus.

“We are still learning a lot about this Coronovirus,” he said. “Specifically, its mechanisms, its virulence, its ability for human-to-human spread, and its case fatality rate. Over the next couple of weeks, we will learn a lot more about the details of this virus and how it causes disease.”

There are many viruses, like Coronavirus, which can cause respiratory illness, ranging from relatively benign conditions, such as the common cold, to severe and life-threatening ailments, like influenza and pneumonia.  

The new strain, though distinct from those, can present similar dangers to people who get infected, Dr. Carr explained.

“The Wuhan virus is not in the influenza family; it’s in a different family of viruses called the Coronaviruses,” he said. “But what’s common to all of them is these respiratory viruses, if they’re able to attach to the lower respiratory tract, they can cause direct damage to the cells there. But more importantly, they incite an inflammatory response by the body and that is what causes all of the trouble.”

Whether the flu or this new non-flu strain, if the virus gets deep down into the lungs and binds with tissues, a rapid and dangerous build-up of fluids and inflammation can result, which reduces the lungs’ ability to absorb oxygen.

Because the signs and symptoms of the Coronavirus are so far non-specific, travel through or from the area of the outbreak and contact with those who been there are the only key indicators, the doctor said.

“It’s really the travel history that’s key in our risk assessment right now,” he added.

The CDC has recommended, he said, evaluation of those showing signs of lower-respiratory infection, such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest discomfort and fever, along with a travel or exposure history.

“Just having symptoms in and of itself should not be alarming, unless they have a travel history” Dr. Carr said.

Anyone suffering from lower-respiratory infection symptoms should consult with a doctor nonetheless, he said.

“For anybody who has a cold or other kind of viral infection, if they have questions, I think the best thing to do would be to call their health care professional to seek advice,” Dr. Carr said.

“But in general, if someone has chest pain or shortness of breath or trouble breathing, those are things that definitely warrant calling your doctor to discuss.”

He said CDC also provides timely updates about the regular flu season.

This year, 173 million doses of the flu vaccine were distributed; current flu activity is high and expected to continue for week, the agency reports.

And state officials also recommend inoculation for those who have not received the annual flu vaccine.

“We are advising residents that flu and other respiratory diseases are circulating in the community and are recommending everyone get a flu shot and follow basic prevention guidelines,” Mr. Minnick of ADHS stated.

He said the best ways to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses generally include:

• Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; and if soap and water are not available, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoiding touching the eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Staying home when sick.
• Covering the cough or sneeze with a tissue, then immediately throwing the tissue in the trash.
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.