Pittsburgh prepping public safety personnel to identify signs of coronavirus

Pittsburgh Public Safety officials are taking steps to ensure that first responders are prepared in the event of a local outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.

Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said Thursday he is more concerned about Allegheny County’s increasing flu deaths this year, but stressed that city paramedics, firefighters and police and animal control officers would be issued protective equipment and receive refresher training for coronavirus.

The flu has so far killed five Allegheny County residents this year, the county Health Department reported on Wednesday. One county resident died last year. The department has so far recorded 7,227 confirmed cases of flu in the county, up from a total of 664 during the entire 2018-19 flu season.

“This isn’t a panic situation, but it’s always good to be prepared,” Hissrich said of coronavirus. “My concern is if we do in fact have a confirmed case in the region other individuals will be concerned that they have it. We need to be prepared for that. Hopefully all we will need to do is prepare.”

The Centers for Disease Control have so far confirmed five cases of coronavirus in the United States. No cases have turned up in Pennsylvania and health officials have described the risk to Americans as “very low.”

The respiratory virus first reported in the city of Wuhan in China’s Hubei Province has sicked about 6,000 people in China and killed 130, mainly elderly or people with underlying medical conditions.

The University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, which enroll about 5,000 Chinese students, said Wednesday that they are closely monitoring the situation. No students have contracted the disease.

Hissrich said he met Thursday with the heads of public safety department and officials are updating an existing pandemic plan.

He said public safety personnel would be issued medical gloves and masks and protective eye gear if they don’t already have the items. They’re also being briefed on coronavirus symptoms, which are very similar to the common cold, and the history of the illness.

The department has placed a priority on repairs to Emergency Medical Services vehicles that are in the city’s shop so they are available if needed.

Additional personnel would be assigned to work if an outbreak happens, Hissrich said.

“What was stressed today was to make sure that the first responders are appropriately informed of the signs and symptoms,” he said. “Everyone from our animal control officers to police, fire and EMS could potentially come across individuals who think they may be exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus.”