COUNTY SCREENS 14,000 MIGRANTS; FLU CASES RISE TO 149, BUT RATE OF OUTBREAK SLOWS

June 2019 Articles

By Miriam Raftery

June 4, 2019 (San Diego) – As the federal government continues shipping migrants seeking asylum from Texas to San Diego, San Diego County Public Health reports that 14,000 have undergone health screenings here since May 19. Of those, 149, or about 1 of every 100 migrants locally, have been diagnosed with influenza (flu); 27 are currently quarantined in hotels, including 11 families.

To prevent these flu cases from spreading to the public, “Those determined to have influenza-like symptoms are isolated in local hotel rooms with individual heating and air conditioning units. Accompanying family members are quarantined with their relatives and are also given treatment to prevent them from getting sick and spreading the virus,” says County communications specialist Jose Alvarez. With continued arrival of migrants to the shelter with influenza-like symptoms, all migrants without symptoms are also receiving treatment to prevent them from getting sick.”

That treatment is far more humane than in Texas, where Homeland Security and Customs and Immigrant Enforcement detention facilities are overcrowded, with even children sleeping on the ground in often frigid temperatures; yesterday national media coverage revealed that numerous migrant children were left in a truck for two days by federal officials.

San Diego County and migrant center medical staff visit patients daily in their hotel rooms to continue monitoring their symptoms, address medical needs and assess when they are well enough to travel.

“We are taking all the appropriate steps that we can to contain this outbreak at this facility and to protect the public’s health in San Diego,” said County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Dianne Jacob. The County has called for the federal government to provide funding to cover costs being pushed onto local government for care of the migrants awaiting asylum hearings.

In January, the County Board of Supervisors authorized using a closed downtown courthouse as a temporary shelter. It was refurbished and opened in March.

“Our early efforts to create a safe and professionally-staffed shelter for legal migrant families has protected the greater San Diego region,” said County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher. “Our rigorous screening process and attentive medical staff is what has allowed us to quickly identify this issue and take steps to address it.”

The outbreak appears to be slowing down, with a lower percentage of cases being diagnosed in recent days. Below is data from May 24 through June 3:

June 3, 2019

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	92
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	8
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	149
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	27 (11 families)

June 2, 2019

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	70
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	13
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	141
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	34 (14 families)

June 1, 2019

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	117
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	23
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	128
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	2
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	80 (36 families)

May 31, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	101
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	24
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	105
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	2
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	62 (26 families)

May 30, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	73
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	22
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	81
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	63 (26 families)

May 29, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	97
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	12
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	59
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	82* (33 families)

*Yesterday’s number was under reported; should have been 36.

May 28, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	102
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	12
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	47
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	36* (14 families)

*Number should have been 36, not 15.

May 27, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	65
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	3
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	35
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	14 (5 families)

May 26, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	31
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	1
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	32
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	24 (10 families)

May 25, 2019 Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	34
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	2
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	31
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	27 (13 families)

May 24, 2019 Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter	47
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness	13
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019	29
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness	0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels	24 (12 families)

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COUNTY SCREENS 14,000 MIGRANTS; FLU CASES RISE TO 149, BUT RATE OF OUTBREAK SLOWS

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