A man hospitalized at Providence Medical Center in Everett has the first known case of the new respiratory infection in the U.S.
SEATTLE, WA — A new respiratory virus that has sickened hundreds in China and led to at least six deaths has been identified in a man living in Washington state, prompting the expansion of screening to additional U.S. airports and the establishment of a hotline for members of the public in Washington.
Snohomish County health officials said Tuesday morning a man in his 30s was being treated at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. In a telephone briefing Tuesday morning, health officials said the man was doing well but continues to receive supportive care and monitoring in isolation.
The New York Times reports the outbreak was first identified last month in a seafood and poultry market in the city of Wuhan and later spread to Beijing, Shanghai and other major Chinese cities.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the Snohomish County man returned from Wuhan, China last Wednesday, and went to a health clinic a short time later with respiratory symptoms. Based on his recent travel, doctors collected samples and sent them to the CDC overnight, where laboratory testing quickly confirmed the illness. A CDC team was sent to Washington and is working to track down anyone else who had contact with the man.
The state Department of Health said a multi-agency press conference was scheduled for 2 p.m. local time at Public Health Laboratories in Shoreline. Officials said they will share information on how members of the public can dial into the hotline with questions once it is established.
State health officials said the risk of exposure remains low for the general public, but all steps were being taken to fully assess the situation.
“As our team of experts partners with infectious disease specialists locally, nationally and around the globe to learn more about the 2019 novel coronavirus, our first priority remains public safety,” said Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman.
Information on how the virus behaves is minimal, and health officials are working to learn how easily it can spread from person to person. The CDC said the virus was originally thought to spread from animal-to-person but there are now “growing indications” of a limited spread from person-to-person.
An update posted on the CDC website Tuesday described an “emerging, rapidly evolving situation” and acknowledged there were many questions that still need to be answered.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people such as has been seen with MERS and SARS. Past MERS and SARS outbreaks have been complex, requiring comprehensive public health responses.
Many of the patients in the outbreak in Wuhan, China have reportedly had some link to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread. However, a growing number of patients reportedly have not had exposure to animal markets, suggesting limited person-to-person spread is occurring.
CDC staff began screening passengers who traveled through the Wuhan area at three major airports on Friday. Additional screening measures will expand to Chicago and Atlanta this week. The CDC said notices were sent to all airports with flights that originated from Wuhan.
More than 300 cases of the virus have been confirmed worldwide.
Ricky Head is Editor in Chief and Publisher of VietShowNow. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. In addition to concert coverage, he is a Content Creator, Writer, Photographer, and Videographer based in Seattle, Washington, and he photographs hundreds of concerts, festivals, and events each year. He takes pride in providing rich, high-quality images at a rapid pace.
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- Ricky Headhttps://www.vietshownow.com/author/head/
- Ricky Headhttps://www.vietshownow.com/author/head/
- Ricky Headhttps://www.vietshownow.com/author/head/
