Two nieces of the woman, whom they referred to as Aunt Loretta, told NBC 4 Los Angeles that their uncle has been denied testing by doctors.
The woman, her husband and two other adults went on a recent trip to the Philippines, and she was admitted to the hospital March 9, soon after the travelers returned to the United States. The nieces said their aunt died “six hours within getting in the hospital” on March 10.
The other three travelers are in self-isolation and are being denied testing because their fevers are not high enough. Victoria Do and Katarina Fajardo, whose father and stepmother are the other two adults in isolation with their uncle, told NBC 4 Los Angeles that they are frustrated their family has not been tested, even though they were exposed to a person with COVID-19.
“All three had fevers. My dad was the highest at 99.8. The other two were just a little above normal, but we were told by the public health nurse, per CDC guidelines, it’s not high enough,” Do said. “People are not getting tested when they should be. People are posting everywhere ‘Oh, I’m getting tested. I have not symptoms.’ Why are these people getting their tests?” Do also stated that celebrities are getting tested even though they have no symptoms.
According to the County of Los Angeles Public Health, there are 144 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of 12 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday, and only one death. Their frequently asked questions page offers some guidance on testing: “Testing is not helpful if you do not have symptoms. However, most people will get better with rest so there is no need to see a doctor if you have mild symptoms. If you develop difficulty breathing or cannot keep fluids down, see a doctor or call 911. Certain patients such as the elderly, those that are immune compromised or have underlying medical conditions should call their doctor earlier. If you have mild symptoms, there may be no need to go to a medical facility to see a doctor.”
The page also states the LA Public Health will “regularly monitor potential cases to see if they develop any symptoms or fever.”
Public health officials working with President Donald Trump also have said that those without symptoms have no need to receive testing. At a White House briefing Sunday, health officials said that testing would increase as more than 2,000 labs have been made available for testing.
California has 472 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths as of 6 p.m. Pacific time Monday, according to the state’s public health website. The United States has over 6,500 confirmed cases across the country.
