Five employees at Good Samaritan Hospital in Silicon Valley were sent home for about two weeks after coming into contact with a patient with coronavirus.
The patient, who had just traveled to Wuhan, China, where the outbreak started, wore a mask the entire time he was at the hospital, and was directed by health officials to isolate himself at his home, according to the hospital. He is one of six people in California who public health officials have confirmed contracted the virus while in Wuhan.
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department conducted a “contact investigation” at the hospital and determined five employees should stay home until Feb. 11. Public health workers will monitor the employees, who will be placed on paid leave by Good Samaritan until the isolation period ends.
“It is important to note that the action taken by public health does not mean any of these employees will contract the virus as the risk is extremely low,” the hospital said in a statement.