CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — At the beginning of March, there were no reported cases of the novel coronavirus in Contra Costa County.​

Now, as of Saturday — 353 people have tested positive.​

More than two dozen of them at a skilled nursing facility.​

The public health officer has issued a mass isolation and quarantine order for people with the virus.

Until further notice, visitors at Orinda Care Center are prohibited.​

This after Contra Costa Health Services confirmed a novel coronavirus, or COVID-19 outbreak at the skilled nursing facility.​

This week, the public health department says it tested all of the care center’s staff members and 45 residents. The results came back positive for at least 27 people.​

Health services opened up an investigation into the facility after two staff members received medical care and tested positive for the virus.​

Public health says two residents who tested positive are receving care at local hospitals.​

Staff and other residents who tested positive, but are not showing serious symptoms are medically isolated, but not hospitalized.​

Health services says no one from the facility has passed away from the virus, adding, though, that it is also investigating and testing two other senior care facilities in the county.​

The spike in positive cases leading the public health officer to issue a mass isolation and quarantine order for people with COVID-19 — and those closest to them.​

Medical or evacuation emergencies are the only acceptable reasons for COVID-positive people to leave isolation.​

If you’ve tested positive, but are not showing symptoms, you must isolate for seven days from the date of the positive test.​

If you’ve tested positive and are showing symptoms, you must self-quarantine for at least seven days since your symptoms started.​

​You’re also required to tell anyone you may have been in contact with that you’ve tested positive.​

The order then requires those contacts to self isolate for 14 days from the last time they were in contact with the person who tested positive.​

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