After two weeks of quarantine, 63 people have been released from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Thursday, absent new symptoms, county health officials said.
The 63 were among 65 passengers who flew into San Diego on Feb. 7 after evacuating Wuhan, China — the epicenter of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus. Two other passengers confirmed to have COVID-19 are under observation at UC San Diego Health in Hillcrest.
“We are excited to send the last of the evacuees at MCAS Miramar home today,” said Dr. Erin Staples, CDC Field Lead for MCAS Miramar COVID-19 Team.
“Two passengers’ journeys have been delayed, but we are confident in the care they are receiving from local health officials and health care providers. The U.S. public health system relies heavily on the work of state, local and territorial health departments who are on the frontlines of outbreak response. We appreciate the dedication and cooperation that MCAS Miramar, San Diego County, UC San Diego, Rady Children’s Hospital and Scripps Mercy Hospital have provided in recent weeks to ensure these evacuees have been appropriately cared for, while also protecting the health of their local community," said Dr. Staples.
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More than 200 people were quarantined at one time at the base, with 166 who initially arrived in San Diego on Feb. 5 released on Tuesday.
The county board of supervisors unanimously reaffirmed and extended a local health emergency declaration yesterday in response to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak. Despite the declaration, however, county officials stressed that the risk of contracting the virus locally remains extremely low.
Worldwide, there have been more than 76,000 reported cases of the disease, with more than 2,100 deaths. All but eight of those deaths have occurred in China. There are 15 confirmed cases of the disease in the United States, including one each in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
