Federal judge allows Costa Mesa to block the transfer of up to 50 coronavirus patients to the city until next week
A federal judge granted Friday the temporary restraining order of the city of Costa Mesa requesting to block up 50 confirmed coronavirus patients of being transferred to the city.
Federal court documents filed on Friday indicate that the federal government planned to transfer patients from Travis Air Force Base, near Sacramento, to the former Fairview Development Center on Sunday or Monday.
On Thursday night, officials from the city of Costa Mesa began to hear about the plan from the Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC to transfer between 30 and 50 patients to state properties.
The authorities of Costa Mesa, in southern California, They evaluate this Saturday to avoid the transfer of about 50 coronavirus patients to the medical facility in that city.
In a meeting at the Mayor’s Office of Costa Mesa, local officials discuss the steps to be taken this Saturday after Judge Josephine L. Staton of the Central District Court of California temporarily stop, on Friday night, the transfer of patients.
The city, located 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Los Angeles, filed an emergency petition this Friday arguing that the Mayor’s Office was notified of the transfer of patients Thursday night.
Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley told the Los Angeles Times that the site where patients will be housed “is certainly not an isolated place” and that for local officials it is important to “know what the plan is” before the transfer is made.
Foley explained that the city found out by a call made by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, which announced the transfer of patients as early as this Sunday.
The city argued that before the arrival of patients they need to determine that “the designated site is suitable for this purpose, and that all necessary guarantees and precautions have been implemented to mitigate the risk of disease transmission.”
The Fairview Development Center, where patients would be transferred, it has been used to treat patients with mental health problems and is in the process of being closed by the state.
Judge Staton will listen to both parties at an emergency hearing next Monday to determine if she allows the transfer or maintains the block order.
The controversy occurs one day after the Sacramento County Department of Health Services reported the first case of new coronavirus in that region.
The adult patient returned from China to the United States on February 2, according to a statement.
Peter Beilenson, director of the Sacramento County Health Department, said that “the patient has no symptoms, is doing quite well and is being isolated until they give two consecutive negative tests.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed Friday that 18 citizens of this country who were repatriated since the Diamond Princess cruise in Japan have tested positive for the coronavirus COVID-19, which brings the number of cases in the country to 35.
“These numbers do not accurately represent what is happening in our community,” said Nancy Messonnier, CDC director.
The official did not dismiss their appearance new cases among some of the almost 330 Americans who were evacuated from the cruise ship anchored in the Japanese port of Yokohama and that they landed this week at two air bases in California and Texas.
With EFE information
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