First cases of COVID-19 confirmed on Catalina Island

AVALON—The fairly secluded Catalina Island had been following the stay at home order with no confirmed cases until recently. On April 3, Catalina Island Medical Center announced the first patient had tested positive for the virus.

As the time this paper went to press, 19 people on the island had been tested, with two coming back positive.

CIMC said In accordance with the Health Officer Order for The Control If COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Quarantine Order, the individual self quarantined for the entire 14-day COVID-19 incubation period.

Public Health is conducting an investigation and CIMC said the hospital is monitoring the patient daily to ensure the health and safety of the community.

“Our hospital, and other hospitals, will likely receive more of these patients, we will continue to follow established infection prevention protocols and precautions standard to contact and airborne illness that all our caregivers have been trained on,” CIMC said in a released statement. “The safety of our patients, caregivers and community is our number one priority.”