Honduras has first suspected case of coronavirus

(CMR) A Honduran woman is being quarantined in Tegucigalpa, Honduras after presenting respiratory symptoms believed to be the country's first case of coronavirus after vacationing in Taiwan.  Digna del Carmen Lorenzo (48) arrived from Indonesia earlier today and was taken by ambulance to The National Cardiopulmonary Institute (Thorax) to undergo further examination. Results are expected to be confirmed in the next 48-hours.

It was also disclosed that she traveled via California and spent some time in China. She boarded a connecting flight to Honduras via Los Angeles, California. She traveled on a commercial flight Toncontín International Airport in the capital and entered the country via gate 2.

Her symptoms included coughing, runny nose, sneezing, and respiratory distress. She is said to be in stable condition at this time and will be quarantined in keeping with international standards.

The Deputy Minister of Public Health, Nery Cerrato, informed the public that the patient will be kept under surveillance and the corresponding tests will be carried out to determine whether or not she has the virus. Cerrato added that, in addition to the symptoms presented by the woman she also confirmed that she was in contact with someone else with respiratory problems on a train in Taiwan on February 2 – triggering the Honduran officials to follow the necessary protocols set by international health regulators.

“In the case that there is no respiratory compromise, its management will be ambulatory and if it has it, it will be handled with the appropriate surveillance measures and isolation,”

said Cerrato.

The National Health Commission of China reported today that the death toll from COVID-19 amounted to 1,868 and 72,436 the number of people infected with the new pneumonia caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in that country.