Update April 6, 2020: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends everyone wear a homemade, non-medical grade face mask or cloth face covering to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Original article: As part of Denver Health's commitment to keeping you informed and safe in the face of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, we wanted to share a list of tips to help prevent the spread of the virus.

As part of Denver Health's celebration of Black History Month, we asked a few of our employees to introduce themselves, tell us why diversity is important at Denver Health and what Black History Month means to them. Here is just one of those responses:

Hey y’all, my name is Joe Kanzangu. I am a Patient Navigator at Denver Health with the Healthy Communities Outreach Program. I have been working here for approximately nine months, give or take.

About two and a half years ago in a small rural town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, an 18-year-old girl had just started using her first electronic cigarette (e-cigarette). She was not too different than any other teenager in Denver. She attended high school and worked part-time at as a hostess at a local restaurant. She had no idea how her life would soon change and that in a few weeks she would be teetering on the edge of life and death in an intensive care unit while doctors worked frantically to save her life.

It's flu season once again and we have already seen the virus surface here in Denver. While it's a little early to talk about how severe the flu season is going to be this year, we can address one of the most common questions we get from our Denver Health patients this time of year: "How Do I know if I Have the Flu vs. A Cold?"

A Denver Health Physician's Perspective

More than 700 cases of measles have been recorded across the country since January. But only 89 percent of kindergarten-aged children in Colorado have been vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Low vaccination rates put vulnerable community members, such as infants too young to receive vaccinations, the elderly, or those with compromised immune systems, at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases.

Throughout the history of the United States of America, there have been 43 presidents who have governed our nation (45 presidential terms because Grover Cleveland served twice). With only four former presidents and one current president alive today, Denver Health experts dived into how our past Commanders-in-Chief died and how we would treat them now.

Fireworks during the 4th of July are part of the American tradition. Unfortunately, thousands of people (mostly children and teens) are injured while using consumer fireworks.

In 2017, Denver Health Paramedics responded to 344 calls on the 4th of July, according to Lt. Julia Arellano. The typical calls are for alcohol intoxication, unconsciousness, falls and traffic accidents, but fireworks injuries are top of mind.

Nationwide, more than 11,000 people are injured by consumer fireworks and 25 percent of those injuries come from sparklers.

Concussions in sports, whether mild or serious, must all be taken seriously. Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a blow or jolt to the head or to the body, causing the brain to shake within the skull. The impact does not have to be directly to the skull; it can be to the upper body or part of the head. Concussions can affect the way the brain normally works. These changes can happen over hours or days, which explains why often the player might not seem so bad immediately after getting hit.

Zumba! It’s a high energy aerobic workout that uses dance steps borrowed from the merengue, salsa and other dances. The Zumba exercise craze continues to grow in popularity as more than 12 million fitness buffs worldwide participate.

Before beginning Zumba, as with any new exercise program, check with your doctor. If you are pregnant or have a major cardiovascular, pulmonary or metabolic condition, traditional Zumba may not be right for you. Consider taking Aqua Zumba or Zumba Gold, a low-impact version instead.