43 people identified as close contacts of coronavirus patient
Jan 23, 2020, 6:00 PM | Updated: 6:02 pm
This undated handout photo from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a microscopic view of the Coronavirus at the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. (CDC/Getty Images)
(CDC/Getty Images)
Forty-three people are now being monitored for potential signs of coronavirus after health officials confirmed a Snohomish County man has the virus.
On Wednesday, health officials identified 16 people the patient had close contact since arriving home to Sea-Tac Airport from China. He is the first known U.S. patient with the virus.
John Wiesman, Secretary of Health for Washington state, said on Wednesday that he wouldn’t be surprised if the number of close contacts grows from 16. He is not aware of those ‘close contacts’ showing any symptoms of coronavirus.
ABC News reports a suspected second case of coronavirus in Texas. The patient is reportedly a Texas A&M student who recently traveled to Wuhan. The student reported a cough and congestion on Wednesday.
Health officials say the risk to the general public remains low. They say they will not release the locations that the patient may have visited unless they’re not able to identify people with whom he has come into contact with.
The Snohomish County Health Department enacted a call center for people with questions about coronavirus: 425-388-5088 staffed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
KIRO Radio staff contributed to this report.
