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Coronavirus in the U.S.: 15 Confirmed Cases, More Tests Underway Coronavirus in the U.S.: 29 Confirmed Cases, More Tests Underway
(2 days later)
Though the vast majority of coronavirus cases have been in China, where more than a thousand people have died and thousands more have been diagnosed, public health officials in the United States are racing to stop the virus from spreading widely in this country. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States nearly doubled on Monday after federal officials announced that 14 Americans evacuated from a cruise ship in Japan and flown back to this country had tested positive for the virus. That brought the number of known cases in this country to 29.
Flights have been canceled. Travelers have been quarantined. Plans have been upended. Though the vast majority of coronavirus cases have been in China, where more than 1,700 people have died and thousands more have been diagnosed, public health officials in the United States are racing to stop the virus from spreading widely in this country.
As of Thursday, 15 cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed in seven states, and officials were awaiting test results on dozens more possible cases. Here’s what we know about those patients. Flights have been canceled. Travelers have been quarantined on military bases. Plans have been upended.
Three people who had been flown to the United States from Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, on flights arranged by federal authorities have tested positive for the virus. Two were being held as part of a federally-mandated 14-day quarantine at a military base in San Diego, and a third was in quarantine on a base in San Antonio. Here’s what we know about those patients.
About 850 people — mostly Americans — have been flown to this country and kept on five military bases, in Nebraska, Texas and California, for 14 days. The largest single group of Americans with the virus was flown to the United States in two chartered flights on Monday, and officials said they were being placed in isolation to receive medical attention.
The passengers were among more than 300 Americans flown back to this country after being aboard a cruise ship that had been quarantined in Yokohama, Japan, for more than 10 days. U.S. officials initially said that they would not allow infected people to board the evacuation flights, but they appeared to reverse that decision early Monday.
“During the evacuation process, after passengers had disembarked the ship and initiated transport to the airport, U.S. officials received notice that 14 passengers, who had been tested 2-3 days earlier, had tested positive for COVID-19,” the State Department and Department of Health and Human Services said in a joint statement, referring to the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The infected passengers — who officials said were asymptomatic and “fit to fly” — were moved into a specialized containment area on the evacuation aircraft, where they were to be isolated and monitored during the flights.
Updated Feb.15, 2020
The two planes landed early Monday, one at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif., and the other at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Some of the Americans who had tested positive for coronavirus were then flown to Omaha and taken to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which was used in 2014 to treat Ebola patients.
All the cruise ship passengers, including those who initially tested negative for the virus, will be placed in a 14-day quarantine on a U.S. military base.
Three people who had been flown to the United States from Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, on flights arranged by federal authorities have tested positive for the virus. Two were being held as part of a federally-mandated 14-day quarantine at a military base in San Diego, and a third was in quarantine at the San Antonio base.
Hundreds of people — mostly Americans — have been evacuated from Wuhan since Jan. 29, and kept on five military bases, in Nebraska, Texas and California, for 14 days.
The two people who were found to have coronavirus in San Diego had no apparent connection. They arrived on different planes and were housed in separate facilities on the same base, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least one of them, a woman, had been released from a hospital and returned to the military base after officials erroneously reported that she had been cleared in testing for the virus. Officials blamed mislabeling of a testing sample for the error, and the woman was later found to have tested positive for coronavirus and returned to the hospital.The two people who were found to have coronavirus in San Diego had no apparent connection. They arrived on different planes and were housed in separate facilities on the same base, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least one of them, a woman, had been released from a hospital and returned to the military base after officials erroneously reported that she had been cleared in testing for the virus. Officials blamed mislabeling of a testing sample for the error, and the woman was later found to have tested positive for coronavirus and returned to the hospital.
“At this time there is no indication of person-to-person spread of this virus at the quarantine facility, but C.D.C. will carry out a thorough contact investigation as part of its current response strategy to detect and contain any cases of infection with this virus,” said Dr. Chris Braden, a C.D.C. official.“At this time there is no indication of person-to-person spread of this virus at the quarantine facility, but C.D.C. will carry out a thorough contact investigation as part of its current response strategy to detect and contain any cases of infection with this virus,” said Dr. Chris Braden, a C.D.C. official.
Most of the coronavirus cases have been in the western United States, including eight in California. Officials in Washington State, Arizona, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Texas each reported one diagnosis, and Illinois has announced two cases. Many of the coronavirus cases have been in the western United States, including eight in California. “The novel coronavirus is a serious public health concern,” Dr. Sonia Angell, the director of the California Public Health Department, said in a statement announcing three cases on Feb. 2. “However, the risk to the general public in California remains low.”
“The novel coronavirus is a serious public health concern,” Dr. Sonia Angell, the director of the California Public Health Department, said in a statement announcing three cases on Feb. 2. “However, the risk to the general public in California remains low.”
Two cases were diagnosed in both Santa Clara County, which includes San Jose, and in bordering San Benito County. Two other patients received treatment in Southern California, one in Los Angeles County and one in Orange County.Two cases were diagnosed in both Santa Clara County, which includes San Jose, and in bordering San Benito County. Two other patients received treatment in Southern California, one in Los Angeles County and one in Orange County.
Twelve of the first 15 patients in the United States had traveled recently near Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak. At least two of those people were believed to have lived in Wuhan, while others were residents of the United States who had visited China, then returned home.Twelve of the first 15 patients in the United States had traveled recently near Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak. At least two of those people were believed to have lived in Wuhan, while others were residents of the United States who had visited China, then returned home.
Updated Feb.15, 2020
Two people who did not travel to China had been diagnosed with coronavirus in the United States. Those patients, a 57-year-old woman in California and a man in his 60s from Illinois, were believed to have contracted the virus from spouses who had returned from Wuhan.
“We know coronaviruses are most likely to spread through close personal contact, and we know this second patient had close contact with his wife after she began to develop symptoms, so it’s not totally unexpected that he acquired the virus,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, in a statement about the Illinois case. She added that the risk to the general public remained low.
[Are you or someone you know dealing with concerns related to the coronavirus? Please contact us at coronavirus@nytimes.com if you are willing to share your story.][Are you or someone you know dealing with concerns related to the coronavirus? Please contact us at coronavirus@nytimes.com if you are willing to share your story.]
Though the coronavirus can be deadly, most of the patients receiving care in the United States were said to be doing well. No deaths were reported. At least three of the people diagnosed in California had isolated themselves at home and were not hospitalized, while others were being treated in hospitals.Though the coronavirus can be deadly, most of the patients receiving care in the United States were said to be doing well. No deaths were reported. At least three of the people diagnosed in California had isolated themselves at home and were not hospitalized, while others were being treated in hospitals.
Since the outbreak gained attention last month, more than 160 people in the United States who were tested for coronavirus have been found not to have the condition, federal officials said. At least one United States citizen died from the coronavirus while in China, American officials said in early February. It was the first known American death from the illness.
Men with ties to Arizona State University and the University of Massachusetts Boston were diagnosed with coronavirus after returning from Wuhan.Men with ties to Arizona State University and the University of Massachusetts Boston were diagnosed with coronavirus after returning from Wuhan.
Both patients were said to be recovering in isolation, but the possibility of exposure on campus has rattled some students across the country. At Miami University in Ohio, where two students were tested for coronavirus, two basketball games were canceled because of health concerns. Days later, those students tested negative for the virus.Both patients were said to be recovering in isolation, but the possibility of exposure on campus has rattled some students across the country. At Miami University in Ohio, where two students were tested for coronavirus, two basketball games were canceled because of health concerns. Days later, those students tested negative for the virus.
“On occasions like this, it is possible for fear to get the better of any of us,” said Katherine S. Newman, the interim chancellor at Massachusetts Boston, in a letter to students after the diagnosis on her campus was announced. “Let’s remember that viruses are no one’s fault and anyone can find themselves ill.”“On occasions like this, it is possible for fear to get the better of any of us,” said Katherine S. Newman, the interim chancellor at Massachusetts Boston, in a letter to students after the diagnosis on her campus was announced. “Let’s remember that viruses are no one’s fault and anyone can find themselves ill.”
Even as American officials took steps to limit travel from China and screen those who arrived, additional coronavirus diagnoses were expected.Even as American officials took steps to limit travel from China and screen those who arrived, additional coronavirus diagnoses were expected.
“More cases are likely to be identified in the coming days, including more cases in the United States,” the C.D.C. warned on its website. “It’s also likely that person-to-person spread will continue to occur, including in the United States.”“More cases are likely to be identified in the coming days, including more cases in the United States,” the C.D.C. warned on its website. “It’s also likely that person-to-person spread will continue to occur, including in the United States.”