First case of Chinese coronavirus detected in the US near Seattle
A man in his thirties was hospitalized in Everett near Seattle with the new Chinese coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday, confirming the first case in the United States, the last country affected after China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.
The individual, whose identity has not been released, had not visited any of the markets from which many cases originated in Wuhan, China, but had only traveled to the region, said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC respiratory center in a conference call with the press.
The man arrived at Seattle Airport on January 15 on an indirect flight from Wuhan. He had no symptoms on arrival, but contacted the health services himself on Sunday after the onset of symptoms. A sample sent to the CDC confirmed on Monday that he was infected with the new virus, said Scott Lindquist, an epidemiologist from Washington State.
He is “a very clever man” who cooperates “completely”, welcomed officials. He is currently at the Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. His current condition is good, said Chris Spitters, health official for Snohomish County, just north of Seattle.
The United States set up controls at three major American airports on Friday (New York JFK, San Francisco and Los Angeles), and will extend these controls to Chicago and Atlanta this week, officials said.
All passengers traveling from Wuhan on indirect flights will now be required to arrive in the United States through these airports, the CDC said.
