A second case of the Coronavirus has been confirmed in a woman in Chicago.
What We Know:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the second infection of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. The patient recently returned from Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus has been ongoing since December 2019.
- After the woman returned from Wuhan, China on January 13, 2020, she contacted her health care provider after experiencing symptoms days later. Infection control measures were taken and she remains hospitalized in an isolated room in stable condition. She is doing well.
- Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing respiratory illness in people and others circulating among animals including camels, cats, and bats. Animal coronaviruses rarely evolve and infect people and then spread between people.
- The Illinois Department of Public Health are investigating locations that the patient could have possible frequented and are identifying close contacts who were possible exposed.
- The CDC are proactively preparing for the virus by taking measures which include alerting clinicians on January 8th to be on the look-out for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China.
- The CDC does consider the coronavirus a serious health threat but says that the health risk to the general American public are low. Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said that it’s important to keep in mind that there are still many unknowns about the virus.
- According to NBC News, the CDC is also investigating another 61 potential cases from 22 states. Eleven have tested negative and results from the rest are pending.
The first coronavirus case in the U.S. was reported Tuesday, from a man in his 30s who fell ill after returning to his home in Washington state following a trip to Wuhan.
