Coronavirus scare turns out to be false alarm at RiverBend

We start tonight at riverbend hospital in springfield... and a big sigh of relief after a coronavirus scare turned out to be a false alarm.

Thank you for joining us, i'm chynna greene.

Earlier this evening i answered a call in the newsroom from a man who says he just left the hospital and he was*frightened.

He says he watched what doctors and nurses were doing around*one patient... isolation and masks.

He said it was scary and made him nervous.

Thats when we reached out to peacehealth to learn.... what was going on.

In a statement they told us that the patient quote "met preliminary criteria for being at risk of having novel coronavirus."

The medical staff then followed appropriate protocols.

Officials say the patient did not have the virus and was released... and there is no risk of infection for anybody who was in the emergency room at the time.

Kezi nine news reporter connor mccarthy is live outstide the hospital with what officials are saying...as well as reaction from local residents.

Connor... again, the patient who was at riverbend behind me was*not diagnosed with coronavirus.

I talked with one urgent care in eugene, and they gave me this three page handout that outlines the protocols thier employees must take if they suspect a patient has the virus.

However some residents say--their not worried.

"the coronavirus it spreads kind of fast and it's scary listening to the news."

The c-d-c says there are 11 confirmed cases in five sates, two of those states are on the west coast.

But a coronavirus scare here in oregon, at riverbend hospital just up the road.... isn't bothering some locals.

Student "i'm myself am not too worried at the moment."

Mom "i'm not terribly surprised" teresa bonomini says the seasonal flu is the current threat at her kids school.

And they're taking precausion mom "washing hands and making sure he knows how to cough into your arm and not your hands and keeping him home when he's sick."

Which is similar to preventing yourself for getting the coronavirus--- according to the cdc "washing your hands eating healthy, making sure everything is clean because the corona virus transmits very similarly to a common cold."

For those who are scared about the virus&anna fleshman says keep calm and carry on.

"take a deep breath, do some research about it and look how preventative measures and what you can do to keep you and your community healthy."

The cdc says symptoms can appear in as few as two days, or as long as 14 days after exposure.

Its spreads through respiratory droplets, produced when a person coughs or sneezes.

And those symptoms inlcude fever,cough, shortness of breath.

Reporting live in springfield connor mccarthy