Not only has the new coronavirus reached North Texas, but officials say Dallas County could have its first positive test of “community spread” COVID-19.
Dallas County now has at least eight people who have tested positive. Most, so far, were diagnosed after traveling to a country or region already affected by the virus.
But one had no recent travel history or contact with another person known to be infected, indicating that the virus may have spread within the local community.
Both Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson issued emergency declarations after five more Dallas County residents tested positive Thursday.
What does community spread mean, and how do you stop it? Here’s what you need to know:
What is community spread?
Community spread means someone has been infected but health officials aren’t sure where or how.
During the very early stages of the outbreak, people at highest risk of infection were those who had recently traveled to affected areas. The first cases were found in people who had been to Wuhan, China, where the outbreak originated. But as the disease has spread globally, people have become infected after traveling to other places, such as Italy, Kentucky and California.
The term community spread has been more widely used since late February, when a person in California tested positive for the virus but hadn’t traveled recently. In Texas, the first case of possible community spread was reported March 11 in a Houston man who had no recent travel history or contact with anyone known to have been exposed to the virus.
City officials and health experts have taken extreme action, such as closing schools and businesses, because the virus is harder to control once people are passing it to one another within the community.
How do you stop community spread?
Health experts have said social distancing, the practice of avoiding public areas and crowded places and of staying several feet apart from other people, can stop or slow community spread.
The concept of social distancing has spurred work-from-home practices among many companies and the cancellation of large gatherings and sporting events. It has also led to spring break extensions among Dallas-area schools and Texas colleges.
Dr. John Carlo, former Dallas County medical director and CEO of Prism Health North Texas, said social distancing in the form of event cancellations is a logical first step in controlling an outbreak.
“At this point, if you close or cancel all mass gatherings with 250 people or more, that’s probably the first thing,” he said. “And you should do that not when you have cases, but before. You have to be preemptive, you have to be in front before you see a substantial number of cases.”
The Dallas and Dallas County declarations effectively ban gatherings of 500 or more people for the next seven days. The declarations also suggest canceling or rescheduling any event with 250 or more people.
“This wasn’t a step that I took lightly. I think everyone here understands the temporary economic hardships that this decision can create,” Johnson said Friday. “But this was a necessary step to respond to a rapidly evolving situation in our city. … We’ve seen how this pandemic has escalated in the rest of the world, and we know that taking precautions immediately will save lives, especially the lives of our most vulnerable residents.”
Health experts say other precautions, including frequent hand-washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and frequently cleaning household and other high-touch surfaces can also play a part in combating community spread.
