Nassau County officials provided an update Wednesday on their preparedness for the spread of the coronavirus and detailed how they will attempt to keep contamination under control.

Officials say there are still no confirmed cases of the virus in Nassau County. However, the county says it is monitoring 83 people who have visited mainland China or may have come in contact with the virus.

Suffolk County told News 12 that 29 people are being monitored.

So far, Nassau health officials say a total of six people have been tested for the virus; five of which have been confirmed to not have it. One test is still pending.

Nassau health officials say they are working with state and federal agencies to monitor the spread of the virus. County Executive Laura Curran says the message is clear - don't panic.

 

Health officials are reminding everyone to practice good hygiene and wash your hands frequently.

Both Nassau and Suffolk counties have protocols in place to keep tabs on the situation. This includes a daily list from the CDC with names of passengers who might have had possible exposure. Local heath departments verify the information and establish contact with each person. They are then told to voluntarily isolate themselves, and the Health Department conducts daily check-ins.

"We're doing more than just temperature, we're doing symptom review," says Nassau Health Department Communicable Disease Control Director Debbie Kimelstein. "So we would like to know if you have other symptoms as well. If you've developed a cough. If you've developed a sore throat. And in the event that somebody does develop any symptoms while they're in a period of monitoring, we make arrangements for that individual to then be tested under controlled circumstances."