Health

VIDEO: County Responds to Flu Outbreak at Migrant Shelter

Video by Andy Tolley
Reading Time: 7 minutes

July 1, 2019-Update

Medical Screening Process

Asylum seekers arriving in San Diego receive a medical screening upon entering the shelter, are assessed for their clinical needs, and then treated as appropriate.

Those determined to have influenza are isolated in local hotel rooms with individual heating and air conditioning units. Accompanying family members are quarantined with their relatives and are also given treatment to prevent them from getting sick and spreading the virus. County staff visit patients daily in their hotel rooms to continue monitoring their symptoms, address medical needs and assess when they are well enough to travel.

With a significant decrease in migrants presenting with influenza-like symptoms over the past week, migrants without symptoms are no longer routinely receiving treatment to prevent them from getting sick, but this preventive measure is being considered for those at higher risk of complications from influenza.

Migrant Shelter influenza updates are now issued on Mondays and will include data from Monday-Sunday. This update covers June 24-30, 2019. 

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter78 78
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 0
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 235
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Newly Quarantined at Hotels Last Week 0 (0 families)

June 24, 2019-Update

Migrant Shelter influenza updates will now be issued on Mondays and will include data from Monday-Sunday. Below update includes data from June 20-23, 2019. 

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 215
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 3
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 235
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Newly Quarantined at Hotels Last Week 9 (3 families)

June 20, 2019-Update

Following this update, timing of updates will be moving to weekly on Mondays.

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 34
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 1
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 234
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 4 (2 families)

June 19, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 55
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 1
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 233
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 3 (1 family)

June 18, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 34
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 0
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 232
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 3 (1 family)

June 17, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 24
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 1
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 232
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 3 (1 family)

June 16, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 35
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 0
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 231
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 0 (0 families)

June 15, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 45
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 0
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 231
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 0 (0 families)

June 14, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 20
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 0
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 231
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 9 (3 families)

June 13, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 22
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 5
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 231
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 13 (4 families)

June 12, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 28
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 4
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 226
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 19 (6 families)

June 11, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 12
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 5
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 222
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 9 (3 families)

June 10, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 16
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 3
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 217
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 5 (2 families)

June 9, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 40
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 0
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 214
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 11 (4 families)

June 8, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 27
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 4
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 214
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 14 (5 families)

June 7, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 19
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 2
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 210
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 45 (20 families)

June 6, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 98
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 22
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 208
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 6
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 67 (30 families)

June 5, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 130
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 28
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 186
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 51  (23 families)

June 4, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 48
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 9
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 158
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels  26 (10 families)

June 3, 2019-Update

Medical Screening Process

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 92
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 8
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 149
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels  27 (11 families)

June 2, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 70
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 13
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 141
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 34 (14 families)

June 1, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 117
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 23
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 128
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 2
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 80 (36 families)

May 31, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 101
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 24
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 105
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 2
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 62 (26 families)

May 30, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 73
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 22
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 81
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 63 (26 families)

May 29, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 97
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 12
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 59
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 82* (33 families)

*Yesterday’s number was under reported; should have been 36.

May 28, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 102
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 12
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 47
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels  36*  (14 families)

*Number should have been 36, not 15.

May 27, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 65
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 3
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 35
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels  14 (5 families)

May 26, 2019-Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 31
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 1
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 32
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 24 (10 families)

May 25, 2019 Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 34
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 2
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 31
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 1
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 27 (13 families)

May 24, 2019 Update

New Migrants Screened at County Shelter 47
New Cases of Influenza-like Illness 13
Total Cases of Influenza-like Illness Since May 19, 2019 29
Number of New Migrants Sent to Hospital ER, with Influenza-like Illness 0
Migrants Currently Quarantined at Hotels 24 (12 families)

May 23, 2019 Update

San Diego County Public Health officials are responding to an influenza outbreak among asylum seekers recently flown to San Diego from Texas by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“We have identified individuals with flu symptoms and are providing appropriate treatment,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.P.H., County deputy public health officer, adding that 16 asylum seekers have been reported with influenza-like illness.

“Those who are ill are being isolated, along with members of their families. Our staff, in conjunction with those of Jewish Family Services and others, are following established procedures to ensure these individuals and their families are well before they leave San Diego for other destinations,” Sidelinger said

Asylum seekers, primarily families, began arriving in San Diego County in October 2018 and from Texas on May 19. To date, more than 14,000 individuals who are legally in the country have been screened.

“We are taking all the appropriate steps that we can to contain this outbreak at this facility and to protect the public’s health in San Diego,” said County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Dianne Jacob.

In January, the County Board of Supervisors authorized using a closed downtown courthouse as a temporary shelter. It was refurbished and opened in March.

“Our early efforts to create a safe and professionally-staffed shelter for legal migrant families has protected the greater San Diego region,” said County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher. “Our rigorous screening process and attentive medical staff is what has allowed us to quickly identify this issue and take steps to address it.”

An outbreak in a single setting is defined as at least one individual diagnosed with influenza and another coming down with a flu-like illness within 72 hours. Outbreaks are usually seen in skilled nursing or other long-term care facilities, but also can occur in other group homes/congregate living facilities, such as detention facilities or overnight camps. San Diego County has experienced 27 outbreaks this flu season.

As asylum seekers continue to arrive from Texas and California, shelter operators will continue screenings and the isolation and treatment of anyone who is symptomatic. It can take up to four days after exposure for flu signs to appear. The County will provide updates on this outbreak until it concludes.

 

Anita Lightfoot is a group communications officer with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact