update 9:45p et » florida gov. desantis confirms coronavirus outbreak in state.  a sarasota hospital has “activated all protocols for handling potential covid-19 cases,” it said in a letter to its patients and staff. the letter, obtained by your content, is dated march 1, 2020 and confirms the hospital is now on red alert following a cdc notification that a patient has tested positive in their building.  according to a source who was briefed on the entire situation, a total at least three but possibly as many as 8 individuals have been exposed. however, that figure does not include individuals that might’ve contracted the virus prior to the patient’s initial arrival, the source says.  “we’ve been asked to stay silent on the issue until the cdc has time to assess the damages,” the source said, speaking only under the condition of anonymity.  tomorrow i will be in tampa and miami with surgeon general rivkees and other officials to discuss our continued statewide response on #covid19. https://t.co/smrwkqlyoi — ron desantis @govrondesantis march 2, 2020  “i could confirm there are at least three individuals being placed under extreme care — one remains in isolation and has tested positive for the coronavirus.”  the source noted they are awaiting the results from approximately 8 tests that were subsequently sent out after the patient tested positive.  “doctors hospital of sarosota has been notified by the centers for disease control that we have a patient in our facility who presumptively tested positive for covid-19,” the release reads. “this patient was admitted to our facility in late february, and remains in our care. on friday, feb. 28th, the cdc changed its guidance regarding covid-19, specifically, the criteria for persons under investigation pui, which consequently activated all protocols for handling potential covid-19 cases, including immediate isolation.”  ??: doctors hospital of sarasota patient for your content  “all potentially exposed individuals have been identified. we are working very closely with the local and state departments of health as well as the cdc to assure that we continue to take all appropriate precautions,” the release goes on to say.  florida has 2 presumptive positive #covid19 cases: one adult resident of hillsborough county and one adult resident of manatee county. both individuals are isolated and being appropriately cared for. — florida dept. health @healthyfla march 2, 2020  “just as we have done with seasonal flu and tuberculosis, we identify and treat infectious diseases while minimizing risk. by being aware of the very latest recommendations of the cdc, doctors hospital of sarosota was able to identify this patient and pursue testing at the very earliest opportunity.”  “please know that the safety of our patients, colleagues and community is of the utmost concern,” the release declares.  the recent widespread outbreak of the respiratory disease stemmed from a novel coronavirus that was first detected in china and which has now been detected in 60 locations internationally, including in the united states.  coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in people and many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats.  during the week of february 23, cdc reported community spread of the virus that causes covid-19 in california in two places, oregon and washington. community spread in washington resulted in the first death in the united states from covid-19, as well as the first reported case of covid-19 in a health care worker, and the first potential outbreak in a long-term care facility.  the cdc affirms that there are ongoing investigations to learn more. this is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available.  how will the coronavirus impact my community?  more cases of the coronavirus are likely to be identified in the coming days, according to the cdc. that includes a rapid increase in cases in the united states. it’s also likely that person-to-person spread will continue to occur, including in communities in the united states. it’s likely that at some point, widespread transmission of the coronavirus in the united states will occur.  widespread transmission of the coronavirus would translate into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time. schools, childcare centers, workplaces, and other places for mass gatherings may experience more absenteeism. public health and healthcare systems may become overloaded, with elevated rates of hospitalizations and deaths. other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services, and transportation industry may also be affected. health care providers and hospitals may be overwhelmed. at this time, there is no vaccine to protect against the coronavirus and no medications approved to treat it. nonpharmaceutical interventions would be the most important response strategy.  this is a developing breaking news story. it will be updated momentarily. stay with your content for the latest developments.  stay with your content for the latest updates. have a story or news tip? 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florida hospital reports a coronavirus ‘infestation’ with multiple confirmed patients