Coos Bay, June 5, 2020: A patient at Bay Area Hospital has tested negative for Coronavirus (COVID-19), after an initial positive test. As part of the evaluation for a fever, a COVID-19 test was ordered, and unexpectedly came back positive. Subsequently, other causes for the fever were found, and the patient is responding to appropriate treatment for those causes.
Other than the fever, the patient has exhibited no other signs or symptoms of COVID-19, and the individual has not been exposed to any other known case of COVID-19 or persons with symptoms suspicious of the disease. Due to this highly unexpected finding, repeat testing was performed, with two subsequent negative tests.
Out of an abundance of caution, Bay Area Hospital is continuing to treat the patient as a potential positive case of COVID-19; this includes the careful usage of personal protective equipment (PPE), and ongoing testing and monitoring of staff and other patients who may have been exposed to this patient in the last 10 days. Given the highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case, the hospital is considering the possibility that the positive test may be a false positive; however, Bay Area Hospital is continuing to proceed with the utmost caution until further evaluation can be completed.
Bay Area Hospital is continuing to work collaboratively with state and local health authorities, and the hospital’s Occupational Health department is in the process of recontacting staff members and previous patients who were previously notified of the presumptive positive to update them on the status of the negative test results.
Apart from the possibility of this false positive case the hospital has not had an inpatient test positive for COVID-19 despite robust testing for potential cases. The hospital will remain vigilant despite the overall low prevalence of the disease in Coos County. In short, Bay Area Hospital continues to put patient and staff safety as a top concern and believes the facility is a safe environment for anyone needing to receive medical care.
There is a concern that individuals in the community might be avoiding care for serious medical conditions due to a fear of COVID-19, and the hospital has seen and heard of more examples of patients suffering from the lack of healthcare attention. Untreated chronic and acute medical conditions carry very real risk for people, and the hospital urges the community to contact their physician to get individualized guidance on the safety of seeking care.
If you have questions or need additional information please contact Virginia Cannon, Public Information Officer at (541) 771-3093.
###
Bay Area Hospital improves the health of our community every day and offers a comprehensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic services spanning medical, surgical, pediatric, critical care, home health, outpatient and acute psychiatric, oncology, obstetrical, and other specialties.
