Banner Health officials urge community to take COVID-19 seriously

Banner Health in Phoenix held a press conference Monday to update new findings with the coronavirus.

HEALTH SAYS CORONA VIRUS HASBEEN AROUND FOR YEARS -- BUTCOVID-19 IS A NEW STRAIN OFIT..

SO THEY'RE CONTINUING TOLEARN ABOUT IT EVERY DAY.CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER ATBANNER HEALTH MARJORIE BESSELSAYS -- 80% OF PEOPLE WHO GETTHE VIRUS WILL EXPERIENCE MILDSYMPTOMS. BUT EVEN IF THATDOESN'T MEAN A TRIP TO THEHOSPITAL -- PATIENTS CAN STILLSPREAD THE ILLNESS.

SHE SAYSRESEARCH SHOWS THIS VIRUS ISMORE CONTAGIONS THEN THE FLUAND WILL LIKELY HAVE A HIGHERDEATH RATE.

SHE SAYS THESOONER WE GET SERIOUS ABOUTSOCIAL DISTANCING ANDFLATTENING THE CURVE... THEBETTER OFF WE'LL BE IN THELONG RUN.

STAY HOME.

DON'TCOME TO WORK ILL.

WASH YOURHANDS.

DON'T GO TO LARGEGATHERINGS AND FOR THOSE OFYOU THAT ARE OVER 60 OR HAVEMULTIPLE MEDICAL CONDITIONS,TAKE EXTREME CAUTION.

DO NOTGO OUT INTO THE PUBLIC.

DO NOTGO TO GATHERINGS OF MORE THANTEN INDIVIDUALS BANNER HEALTHIS NOW IMPLEMENTING ONLY ONEVISITOR PER PATIENT -- ANDTHAT VISITOR MUST BE HEALTHYBEFORE ENTERING THE HOSPITAL.WITH AN UNKNOWN VIRUS LIKECOVID-19 -- DOCTOR BESSEL SAYSTHEY'LL CONTINUE CHANGINGPRACTICES AS THEY LEARN MOREABOUT IT.

GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEYIS EXPECTED TO MEET WITHHEALTH DEPARTMENT LEADERS INTUCSON AROUND 3 THIS AFTERNOONTO UPDATE THE COMMUNITYFURTHER ON ARIZONA'S RESPONSE.WE'LL HAVE UPDATES LATER RIGHTHERE ON KGUN9.

REPORTING LIVEIN THE NEWSROOM -- VV -- KGUN9OYS.