The First Case of Coronavirus Was Just Confirmed in the United States
A coronavirus outbreak has caused hundreds of illnesses and 17 deaths in China.
The CDC confirmed Tuesday that a patient returning to Washington state from Wuhan, China, was diagnosed with coronavirus.
Doctors explain what you need to know about the infection, its symptoms, and how worried you should be.
A coronavirus outbreak has caused hundreds of illnesses and 17 deaths in China. Now, there has been confirmed case of the infection in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed Tuesday that a patient returning to Washington state from Wuhan, China, (where an outbreak of coronavirus is taking place) was diagnosed with coronavirus.
This type of coronavirus was originally thought to be spread from animals to people, but “there are growing indications that limited person-to-person spread is happening,” the CDC says. However, the organization adds, “It’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people.”
Should you be worried? Here, everything you need to know about coronavirus, its symptoms, and what experts think about its potential impact within the U.S.
What is coronavirus, exactly?
Human coronavirus is pretty common throughout the world, according to the CDC. There are seven different types, and many of them cause colds, says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. However, two newer types—MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV—can cause severe illness.
The form of coronavirus that’s making headlines was only recently found to infect people, Dr. Adalja explains. “There is a race to determine what this coronavirus is, and whether it behaves more like a SARS, MERS, or a common cold virus. A lot of efforts are being made to answer this,” Dr. Adalja says.
What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
They’re actually really similar to symptoms of the flu. People with coronavirus may have a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever, and generally feel sick, the CDC says. Coronavirus can also cause lower-respiratory tract infections like pneumonia or bronchitis.
The overlap with flu symptoms “makes coronavirus difficult to diagnose,” Dr. Adalja says, adding that the average person can’t tell the difference between the two. And, it’s possible for some people to have no symptoms at all.
People can die from coronavirus when they develop complications like respiratory failure or hypoxia (a condition where your body doesn’t get enough oxygen) secondary to pneumonia, Dr. Adalja says. Some people have had myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart, he adds. People who are immunocompromised, the very young, and the elderly are the most at risk of serious complications of coronavirus, the CDC says.
How is coronavirus treated?
As of now, there’s no specific treatment for coronavirus, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Instead, doctors are treating the symptoms and offering supportive care.
How worried should you be about coronavirus?
Hundreds of people in China have been infected with coronavirus and hospitalized, and it’s a little scary that it’s now in the U.S. But infectious disease experts say you shouldn’t panic. “The CDC is really on top of this,” Dr. Schaffner says.
Infectious disease doctors and public health officials are also “very aware” of coronavirus around the country, he adds, and many have implemented steps where patients with respiratory symptoms are now asked whether they’ve recently been to China or have had contact with someone recently who has been to the country. If the answer is “yes,” they’ll be quarantined.
People coming through five different airports in the U.S. are also now being screened for coronavirus, Dr. Adalja says, which can help detect cases early. “The general public doesn’t need to be worried about this,” Dr. Adalja says. “We have one case right now and it’s pretty well contained."
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