Fourth positive COVID-19 case identified in Tarrant County

March 14, 2020 (Tarrant County, TX) – Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) has identified a fourth positive case of COVID-19 in Tarrant County. The sample was tested at a private lab.

The fourth COVID-19 case is a resident of Tarrant County and is a close contact to an American Airlines pilot, who tested positive earlier in the week. That pilot was determined to be an out-of-state resident.

Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja said “The fourth COVID-19 case was isolated at home and then developed symptoms. No one at DFW Airport came in contact with the fourth patient since symptoms developed.”

“Because of HIPAA laws regarding the confidentiality of health information, we are not allowed to provide specific details about the patient,” Taneja said.

Starting Saturday, cases detected at public health labs that use the CDC assay are considered a confirmed positive.

Tarrant County Public Health’s lab serves a 33 county region for COVID-19 testing.

COVID-19 causes respiratory illness with cough, fever, and shortness of breath, and may lead to bronchitis and severe pneumonia. Though more than 5,000 people worldwide have died as a result of the virus, nearly 70,000 have recovered.

While this is only the fourth case in Tarrant County, these basic preventative measures can help protect people from this and other respiratory viruses:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick. If you experience difficulty breathing, or persistent fever, call your primary care provider.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your sleeve.
• Frequently clean and disinfect touched objects and surfaces.

COVID-19 originated in Wuhan City, China in December 2019 and has now spread to more than 100 countries.

For more information, visit coronavirus.tarrantcounty.com or call 817-248-6299 during business hours.

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