(CMR) American officials have announced the first U.S. case of coronavirus connected to the ongoing outbreak in Wuhan, China.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday that it had detected a case in Washington state. The man is said to be in his 30s and a resident of Snohomish County, Washington. He arrived in the US via Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Jan. 15 after visiting the Wuhan area, officials said. After he began to experience symptoms, he reported to his medical providers on Jan. 19. Samples of his virus were tested overnight and the case was confirmed in just one day. He is said to be in good condition in the hospital at the Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington and is said to not be considered a threat to medical staff or the public.
There is also a confirmed case in Australia. The deadly virus is said to have killed at least six people mostly in their 60s or older. The CDC noted that it expects to see more cases of the virus, in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Airport screening will continue and has now been expanded to include international airports in Atlanta and Chicago. Over the weekend, federal officials also began redirecting travelers arriving in the United States on direct and indirect flights from Wuhan to airport screening travelers for the new virus.
The Washington state man's case was before airport screening had been fully implemented. Authorities have said local, state and federal officials said they were on alert and quickly collaborated to test the man and put precautions in place. A small number of health-care workers and patients who may have been exposed to the patient have been notified to watch for symptoms and are being monitored, Washington state health officials said. Officials are tracing the people he may have come into contact within both China and the United States.
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