Exposure risk to any hospital patient or staff is extremely low   Palomar Health treated its first COVID-19 presumptive positive patient (CDC confirmation is still waiting). The patient was identified, isolated and treated in a negative pressure room upon arrival to the hospital. The risk of exposure to any other patient or staff is extremely low.   The patient arrived at the Palomar Medical Center (PMC) Poway Emergency Department on Friday, March 13. Following protocols put in place at PMC Poway and Escondido, staff screened the patient for the coronavirus before entering the hospital. He was found to be a possible carrier of the virus following CDC guidelines, was masked, and immediately taken to a negative pressure isolation room where he remained until his release. His test came back presumptive positive Sunday afternoon. His lab results are still waiting CDC final confirmation.   Proper procedures were followed at ...