17 people being monitored in US as Washington man diagnosed with virus
The 30-year-old patient had travelled to Wuhan in November and December and was diagnosed on Monday.
He is doing well and may be released from the medical centre in Everett, Washington in the near future, the hospital’s chief medical officer Jay Cook told a press conference.
None of the 17 people who were in close contact with the patient have displayed symptoms of the flu-like illness, said John Wiesman, Washington state’s health secretary.
While health authorities reassured the public that the general risk was low, Mr Wiesman said: “I would expect at some point we’re going to have more cases in the US.”
Passengers aboard the man’s flight from China are being contacted by the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and state health authorities.
The CDC has raised its travel alert for Wuhan to a level two, calling for enhanced precautions. All travellers from Wuhan are being directed to five US airports – in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Atlanta and San Francisco – for screening.
The CDC is developing a test for the virus and hopes to soon start distributing it to state health departments.
