No Evidence New Virus from China Spreading in U.S.

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, speaks with people at a supermarket in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, Monday, Jan. 27, 2020. China on Monday expanded its sweeping efforts to contain a deadly virus, extending the Lunar New Year holiday to keep the public at home and avoid spreading infection. (Li Tao/Xinhua via AP)
In this photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, speaks with people at a supermarket in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province, Monday, Jan. 27, 2020. China on Monday expanded its sweeping efforts to contain a deadly virus, extending the Lunar New Year holiday to keep the public at home and avoid spreading infection. (Li Tao/Xinhua via AP)

BEIJING (AP) – U.S. health officials say they have no evidence that the new virus from China is spreading in the U.S. and they believe the risk to Americans remains low.

Related: Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Update

As of Monday, five Americans have been diagnosed with the virus and all had traveled to central China. Health officials are investigating who they’ve been in contact with. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say at least 32 people who were thought to be possible cases have been ruled out.

The virus has sickened thousands of people, mostly in China, and caused dozens of deaths. The outbreak was first identified in the city of Wuhan in central China.

The first U.S. patient diagnosed with the new virus remains in satisfactory condition in an isolation unit at Providence Regional Medical Center near Seattle. Health officials are discussing when to discharge the patient. He is a man in his 30s who was admitted Jan. 20.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

No posts to display