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The first presumed case of an Oregon resident contracting the coronavirus has been detected, Oregon Health Authority officials and Gov. Kate Brown announced Friday.

The adult, who was not identified, first exhibited symptoms Feb. 19 and is a Washington County resident. They are being treated at the Kaiser Permanente Westside location in Hillsboro. 

The person is a Lake Oswego School District employee who works for Forest Hills Elementary, OPB reports. The district announced Friday that Forest Hills Elementary will be closed through Wednesday, March 4.

Since exposure is only linked to one school specifically, they don't plan to close others in the district at this time. But all activities at all facilities in the district have been canceled this weekend, according to OPB. 

In a statement sent to the media and parents, Lake Oswego School District Superintendent Lora de la Cruz said the person does not have close contact with students regularly.

District officials will talk with the press Saturday afternoon.

Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said the person had no known travel exposure.

Allen said a test of the patient is being sent to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta for confirmation.

Two individuals were previously tested for the virus after exhibiting symptoms, but both tested negative. Officials are awaiting results from the test of another suspected case.

"I want to reassure you that our state and local authorities are responding quickly to the case," Brown said, noting that a positive test came back at 3 p.m. Friday. Officials had a press conference shortly after 6 p.m.

Tri-County health officer Jennifer Vines said the OHA is working to come up with a timeline of where the infected patient was during their most infectious times before being treated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hospitalized patients with COVID-19 should be cared for in isolation until the patient is free from fever without medication, is no longer showing symptoms and tested negative on specimens 24 hours apart.

a group of stuffed animals: This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, orange, emerging from the surface of cells, green, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. © Associated Press This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, orange, emerging from the surface of cells, green, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S.

“Unfortunately with this disease we do not have a shot to prevent it,” Oregon Health Authority state epidemiologist Dean Sidelinger said.

Earlier Friday, Brown announced a new multi-agency team tasked with preparing the state for a potential outbreak of the virus.

The Coronavirus Response Team will interact with state and local health authorities, hospitals, community health partners and school districts to coordinate preparations and potential responses to Covid-19.

The team, which met for the first time Friday, consists of agency directors or their representatives from a dozen state agencies including the Department of Human Services, Oregon State Police, Department of Corrections, Oregon Health Authority and Office of Emergency Management.

Kate Brown wearing glasses and smiling at the camera: Gov. Kate Brown speaks during the AP Legislative Preview Day at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem on Jan. 17, 2020. The 2020 Oregon legislative session begins February 3. © ANNA REED / STATESMAN JOURNAL Gov. Kate Brown speaks during the AP Legislative Preview Day at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem on Jan. 17, 2020. The 2020 Oregon legislative session begins February 3.

As of Friday, there were 63 other cases in the United States according to the CDC and 80,413 global cases.

“I think the CDC has indicated they think there will be widespread incidences of the disease,” Allen said.

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The state is actively monitoring people who might have come into contact with the disease and the Oregon Health Authority is providing weekly updates on monitoring. As of Tuesday, 76 people were being monitored for symptoms with 178 people having completed the two-week monitoring.

OHA officials updated lawmakers on Oregon's response to the coronavirus during a Friday meeting of the House Health Care Committee.

a person sitting in front of a television: Three officials of the Oregon Health Authority, left, testify on Feb. 28, 2020, before a committee of the Oregon Legislature in Salem, on preparations for a possible outbreak of coronavirus in Oregon. Appearing before the House Committee on Health Care were, from front to back Akiko Saito, section manager of health security, preparedness and response, Dean Sidelinger, state health officer and state epidemiologist, and OHA Director Patrick Allen. At right is Rep. David Gomberg, a Democrat from the Oregon coast. © Andrew Selsky, Associated Press Three officials of the Oregon Health Authority, left, testify on Feb. 28, 2020, before a committee of the Oregon Legislature in Salem, on preparations for a possible outbreak of coronavirus in Oregon. Appearing before the House Committee on Health Care were, from front to back Akiko Saito, section manager of health security, preparedness and response, Dean Sidelinger, state health officer and state epidemiologist, and OHA Director Patrick Allen. At right is Rep. David Gomberg, a Democrat from the Oregon coast.

They acknowledged that people were afraid of coronavirus, but assured lawmakers that, in many ways, Oregon has responded successfully to outbreaks like this before. Not only that, but the steps one can take to protect against contracting Covid-19 are the same steps that protect against the spread of the flu and common cold.

“Oregon has proven its resiliency in preparing for and responding to Ebola, H1N1 influenza, Zika, and other global public health threats,” Allen said in a statement. "Each time, Oregon’s public health and health care systems and their partners have found ways to strengthen our collective response. If the coronavirus comes to Oregon, we will be ready.”

Allen said the state is focusing on educating people and care providers about the disease. They want to redirect the public's concern into preparedness. 

The disease has a fatality rate of less than 1 percent, though older people are more at risk from dying as a result of contracting Covid-19.

On Thursday, the Oregon Department of Education sent a memo to school superintendents and principals advising certain preparations be taken in case of an outbreak.

Some are continuations of current best practices, such as emphasizing that students stay home when they are sick, cover their mouths while coughing and wash their hands regularly, and the same goes for staff members.

Routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces is also encouraged.

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An employee packs respiratory protective face masks on an assembly line at the Valmy protective mask manufacturer plant in Mably, central France, on February 28, 2020, amid the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. © PHILIPPE DESMAZES, AFP via Getty Images An employee packs respiratory protective face masks on an assembly line at the Valmy protective mask manufacturer plant in Mably, central France, on February 28, 2020, amid the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.

"Many of the everyday precautions we take to prevent flu are useful in protecting against the spread of Covid-19," the memo reads.

Salem-Keizer School District is informing parents that they are working with OHA and ODE on a crisis response plan, while encouraging students and staff to follow its standard "Am I too sick for school?" document.

The Department of Education advised that if a coronavirus case appears at an Oregon school, local officials should consider how to best inform the community in a way that avoids spread of the disease while also maintaining patient confidentiality.

The memo warned of stigma or discrimination toward a student as a potential collateral outcome of infection. 

For school officials trying to determine coronavirus risk, the memo warned that they should use only the guidance provided by local and state health authorities and do not "make determinations of risk based on race, ethnicity, or country of origin."

Contact reporter Connor Radnovich at cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6864, or follow him on Twitter at @CDRadnovich

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon coronavirus case: Lake Oswego school to close for days

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