In today's newscast:
Sheriff's office alerts residents to Monterey County Jail scam
The Monterey County Sheriff's office is warning residents about a scam targeting family and friends of people incarcerated at the County Jail. Scammers posing as jail employees are calling and offering early releases in exchange for payment. The sheriff’s office says Monterey County Jail does not have an early release program and will never ask for payment to be made at local retailers.
Four California residents are being monitored for hantavirus symptoms
The California Department of Public Health is monitoring four Californians who were potentially exposed to the Andes hantavirus after an outbreak on a cruise ship. At a press briefing, Public Health director Dr. Erica Pan said none of the four have symptoms.
"There are no confirmed cases in California residents," she said. "There are potentially-exposed, what we call 'contacts.'"
Two of the Californians are being quarantined in Nebraska. The other two are being monitored daily in Santa Clara and Sacramento counties.
California has never had an Andes hantavirus case, but the state has treated people with Sin Nombre hantavirus, which is not transmitted between people. Pan says for the Andes variant, prolonged exposure is needed for transmission.
"Typically, it is very close contacts, like people who live together, couples or other things like that," she said. "And we are learning more and more about this cruise ship outbreak."
She adds that transmission has always been from someone with symptoms. There are no antivirals that treat hantavirus, but Pan says there are hospitals in California prepared to manage the symptoms. The California Department of Public Health is working with the CDC and other states to monitor exposures and stay prepared.
