Yesterday morning, five Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers responded to a medical call and performed CPR on an unconscious man who was later identified as a passenger on a cruise that has confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Though the patient, who didn’t survive, wasn’t confirmed to have coronavirus, Sunnyvale DPS is being “extra careful” in order to ensure the safety of the Sunnyvale community.
“Earlier today our officers performed CPR on a 72-year-old patient who was unconscious and not breathing,” said Sunnyvale DPS said in a tweet last night. “Unfortunately, the patient didn’t survive. It was later learned the patient had recently been on a cruise with two passengers were suspected of having COVID19.”
Sunnyvale DPS held a press conference last night to address the incident. Sunnyvale DPS Chief Phan Ngo emphasized that it is still early in the investigation and they are using an abundance of caution.
According to Chief Ngo, the officers did not perform mouth to mouth on the patient. He also said that the patient, before they became unconscious, was not showing symptoms of coronavirus. The County Coroner’s Office hasn’t determined cause of death yet.
Out of an abundance of caution, says Chief Ngo, a total of seven officers were quarantined at a City facility for several hours, but they have now been sent home to self-isolate. The officers are not currently showing coronavirus symptoms and are not being tested for coronavirus. The officers won’t return to work until the Santa Clara County Health and Sunnyvale DPS coordinate to find a time for them to come back to work.
“The precautions we have taken exceed the recommendations by the CDC,” said Chief Ngo.
Chief Ngo said they would provide updated information through their social media profiles.
Santa Clara County currently has 20 coronavirus cases. Information will continue to be updated on the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department’s website: http://sccphd.org/coronavirus.
Update: The deceased patient tested negative for coronavirus and did not have the virus.
