SAN DIEGO — One of the two patients who was being kept in isolation at UC San Diego Health's Hillcrest location was discharged Wednesday after recovering fully from novel coronavirus, according to hospital officials. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff cleared the patient after rigorous testing to confirm recovery and lack of contagiousness.
There have been two confirmed cases of the coronavirus/COVID-19 in San Diego. Both of those patients were among more than 200 who were quarantined at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar after being evacuated from the area of Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak
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Authorities said the patient released Wednesday is no longer under federal quarantine or isolation orders. One patient remains under observation at UCSD Health.
UCSD Health released the following statement on the patient's release:
"UC San Diego Health has been informed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that a patient under our care for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has fully recovered from the virus. The patient is no longer infectious and cleared for discharge. Patients who are cleared for hospital discharge have been confirmed through rigorous testing that includes consecutive negative test results provided by the CDC.
The patient was discharged today and is no longer under federal quarantine or isolation orders.
As the region’s only academic health system, UC San Diego Health specializes in the care of adults with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases more virulent than COVID-19.
Thank you to all UC San Diego Health team members, and federal, state and local officials, who have helped with the complex coordination of care for these individuals. We send well wishes to this patient and all those who have been affected by this situation."
After spending two weeks under quarantine, 166 people who were brought to Miramar on Feb. 5 were released Tuesday. Another 65 people arrived at Miramar Feb. 7 and were also placed under a 14-day quarantine.
Public Health Officer Wilma Wooten said roughly 63 of those people will be released from the quarantine Thursday, assuming none develop any signs of possible symptoms.
"We have successfully protected the residents of San Diego County," as well as those suspected of having the virus, Wooten said.
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.
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