UC Davis Treats First Community-Spread COVID Case
February 26, 2020
UC Davis announces a Solano County woman is being treated at UC Davis Medical Center for symptoms of what’s referred to as the novel coronavirus. She is the first patient in the nation to have no known exposure to the virus through travel or close contact with a known infected individual.
National News Coverage Ensues
February 27, 2020
News crews descend upon UC Davis Medical Center. The community-spread case is reported as breaking news around the globe. The case prompts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to broaden its testing criteria.
Read about the first patient in the New York Times
Index Patient, Previously in “Very, Very Grave” Condition, Goes Home
March 16, 2020
The Solano County woman who was the first known patient to catch COVID-19 via community spread finally goes home from UC Davis Medical Center. Doctors reveal that the patient had been gravely ill, and that they received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the woman with an investigational drug called Remdesivir.
They (the infectious disease doctors) feel that this drug saved the patient’s life.
Angela Haczku, professor of medicine and respiratory immunologist
Read how we helped the first patient
California Governor Gavin Newsom Issues Statewide Shelter-in-Place Order
March 19, 2020
UC Davis cancels in-person classes, moving to remote instruction. Many employees begin to work remotely. UC Davis Health providers continue to care for patients and most surgeries and procedures continue without interruption, under strict new safety precautions.
Read the Chancellor’s shelter-in-place message
Demand for Testing Soars
Late March into April
The Department of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis Health sees waves of patients seeking COVID-19 tests. At the time, the only available test is the nasopharyngeal swab pictured here. Patients who suspect they have COVID-19 are advised to isolate until they receive their test results, usually two to three days later.
View a deep nasal swab graphic
Patient Marks 81st Birthday by Beating COVID
May 6, 2020
It’s a very happy birthday for Suren Vaniyev. After more than seven weeks of fighting COVID-19 at UC Davis Medical Center, he finally gets to go home — on his 81st birthday! The little sign on his paper crown reads, "I BEAT COVID."
Countering Misinformation
2020 and beyond
The public health crisis of COVID-19 was exacerbated by a crisis of misinformation, often spread at light speed through social media. UC Davis Department of Communication researchers found that misinformation fueled distrust in vaccines, particularly among Republicans, and led to hoarding in the early days of the pandemic.
The initial panicked responses to the novel coronavirus swung wildly in the other direction, with many Americans desensitized to death in a matter of months, researchers found. They concluded that public health messaging should be clearer, but that Americans also are responsible for checking claims on social media.
Read about the effects of vaccine misinformation
Read how the pandemic led to hoarding
Read how people became desensitized to COVID-19 info
Read why social media led to hesitancy to get vaccinated
Read how COVID-19 beliefs were influenced by politicians
‘Sicker, Quicker’: The Delta Variant COVID Surge
July 2021
In the spring and early summer, a new variant of COVID-19 dubbed “Delta” spreads quickly around the world. In June, the state of California lifts most masking and distancing requirements. In late July, Sacramento County has the third highest COVID case rate in the state and a vaccination rate of around 50%, below the statewide average of 63%.
At this point in the pandemic, you’re either going to get vaccinated or you’re going to get COVID.
Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital
Read our expert advice on the Delta variant
Omicron: Even More Contagious
December 2021 - January 2022
A new COVID variant, Omicron, which is even more contagious than the Delta variant, leads to surges around the world, including the Sacramento region. UC Davis Medical Center’s Emergency Department treats a record number of patients, 300 in one day, largely driven by the COVID surge over the holidays and people seeking COVID tests.
We are always ready to care for patients in any emergency, but the influx of COVID-19 symptom patients seeking testing is pushing us to record highs.
Daniel Colby, co-medical director of the Emergency Department
Omicron Mutates to Form XBB.1.5, the ‘Kraken’ Variant
January 2023
The World Health Organization declares the subvariant XBB.1.5, a hybrid of two omicron strains, the most contagious COVID strain yet. It is dubbed the “Kraken” and leads to yet another increase in COVID infections. Luckily, symptoms do not seem to be more severe than previous strains.
Read our expert advice on the Kraken variant