As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in China, the CDC has reported that a second person in the US has now been diagnosed with the illness. This shortly follows the first case last month in Washington.
The individual in question, who lives in Chicago, had recently visited the Wuhan region of China, where it’s believed the virus originated. After returning, they experienced symptoms and visited a healthcare provider.
They were then admitted to hospital and infection control measures are now in place. The officials involved say that the patient is now in a stable condition and is recovering.
The CDC said, “The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) are investigating locations where this patient went after returning to Illinois and are identifying any close contacts who were possibly exposed. The patient has limited close contacts, all of whom are currently well and who will be monitored for symptoms.”
The CDC added that, fortunately, the person hadn’t spent much time outside the home after returning from China. This means the risk of the infection having been passed on to others is low. However, at the moment, the CDC is monitoring 63 other potential cases.
The outbreak has, so far, been responsible for 80 deaths in China and thousands of sicknesses. The symptoms are similar to pneumonia, and include shortness of breath, coughing, and a fever.
There have also been cases of the illness reported elsewhere in Thailand, the US, Taiwan, Australia, Macau, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, France, Vietnam, and Nepal. However, there haven’t been any deaths from the virus outside of China.
Consumers have been advised not to travel to the Wuhan area and, if they have recently travelled and are experiencing symptoms, to avoid contact with others and seek medical care as soon as possible.