Santa Clara County continues to monitor for coronavirus

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Santa Clara County public health officials said they are currently tracking more than 300 people who came from mainland China over the past two weeks. Officials say those travelers do not currently have symptoms of the Coronavirus. Meanwhile, dozens of people who Wednesday cleared a 14-day quarantine faced another obstacle to regaining their freedom.

Just miles from the final hurdle to break free of Coronavirus concerns, and a bus carrying passengers declared virus free broke down as it approached the Bay Bridge.

“I  think we were stuck for probably an hour and a half, until the replacement bus came and picked us up,” said Jeffrey Ho, a passenger on the bus.

He was one of 180-people trying to get home after 14-days in quarantine. Ho documented his time away from the rest of humanity on his Instagram social media page. It was an unwanted adventure from Wuhan, China, to Travis Air Force Base, where masks were part of the regular wardrobe.

“So it feels kind of weird that everybody looks kind of normal again. Not seeing people with masks, like I was seeing when I was in china and also at the quarantine,” Ho said.

Travis also received another flight this week with passengers from a cruise ship docked and quarantined in Japan. Seven of those passengers were sick, and have been hospitalized in the North Bay. One has already tested positive for coronavirus and is under isolation. In the South Bay, officials say there are still just two cases.

“We anticipated that we would have more cases. But I’m happy to say that we have not documented any person-to-person transmission in Santa Clara County,” said Dr. Sara Cody, the public health officer for Santa Clara County.

Cody spent an hour briefing the Board of Supervisor’s Health and Hospital Committee. She says her office is currently tracking more than 300-people who returned from mainland China over the past two weeks. So far, none have become symptomatic.

“I don’t think there’s any reason for alarm. I think there should be concern, and there is. I think the county should be making sure we’re on top of it. And we are,” said Supervisor Joe Simitian, the committee’s chairman. Added Cody, “We follow all of the returning travelers. We reiterate the message when they get off the plane – which is to look out for symptoms and stay home for 14 days.”

For Jeffery Ho, his 14-day layover in quarantine has ended.

“The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) did a really good job making the place feel hospitable and not like what you’d think a quarantined place would look like,” said Ho.

Now he and the others given a clean bill of health must overcome the headache that is travel on area roads and in the skies.