CDC confirms first case of Coronavirus in US that emerged in China

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday announced the first case of a person on American soil sickened by a new mystery virus that emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

In a press conference, a CDC spokesman said the man was in his thirties and had travelled to the US from Wuhan, but did not visit the seafood market thought to be at the heart of the outbreak. The man is currently hospitalized as a precaution, not because his illness was severe. The Snohomish County resident was in good condition at a hospital in Everett, outside Seattle. He's not considered a threat to medical staff or the public, health officials said.

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According to reports, while in China, the man travelled to the Wuhan area, where the virus is believed to originate. It has since spread to cities including Beijing and Shanghai. The U.S. resident had no symptoms when he arrived at the Seattle-Tacoma airport last Wednesday, but he contacted doctors on Sunday when he started feeling ill, officials said.

The US is the fifth country to report a case of the illness. Nearly 300 cases have been reported in China, Thailand, Japan and South Korea. Late last week, U.S. health officials began screening passengers from central China at three U.S. airports — New York City’s Kennedy airport and the Los Angeles and San Francisco airports. Officials around the world have implemented similar airport screenings in hopes of containing the virus during the busy Lunar New Year travel season, as per reports.

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Six reported deaths

Last month, health officials began reporting new cases of viral pneumonia, including symptoms of fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Officials connected the patients to a food market in Wuhan. So far there are six reported deaths, all in China. Most were 60 or older and had a previous medical condition. Although the virus likely originated from animal-to-people contact, Chinese officials this week confirmed their first case of person-to-person contraction. CDC officials said the risk to the American public is low.

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(with agencies inputs)

(image:AP)