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First coronavirus death in US: a man in his 50s in Washington

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Daily US Times, Washington: The first coronavirus death in US soil, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Saturday. The affected person was a man in his 50s who had underlying health circumstances, according to Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, health officer for Seattle and King County, Washington state.

Health officers in King County, Washington mentioned they would supply an update on the affected person who died at 1:00 pm Pacific Time (2100 GMT), and that the affected person was amongst one of many state’s new cases of the illness.

There was no proof the affected person had close contact with an infected particular person or a related journey history that will have exposed the patient to the virus, Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mentioned on the White House Saturday, suggesting the affected person became sick through community spread.

Whereas that is the first death in the USA from the coronavirus, it’s not the first death of an American. A 60-year-old US citizen died earlier this month within the city of Wuhan, China, where the virus first appeared in late December.

The USA is issuing more journey restrictions

Shortly after the announcement of the death, US President Donald Trump at a White House press conference mentioned the USA is issuing more journey restrictions and warnings to assist prevent the spread of the virus. He also mentioned he’s meeting with pharmaceutical executives to discuss work towards a coronavirus vaccine.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee in the meantime declared a state of emergency in response to new cases of COVID-19, directing state agencies to make use of all resources necessary to organize for and respond to the outbreak.

“This can permit us to get the resources we’d like,” Inslee mentioned. “This can be a time to take commonsense, proactive measures to make sure the health and safety of those that live in Washington state.”

The report of the first coronavirus death in US capped a week of stock market upheaval and escalating concern amongst state and federal health officers concerning the unfold of the illness, which has infected greater than 60 people in the USA and spread across 46 countries.

First coronavirus death in US: Donald Trump reaction

Many of the US cases have occurred in travellers from China, where the virus originated.

However public health officers have also recognized 4 “presumptive” coronavirus cases believed to have emerged from community transmission of the infection, signalling a turning level in methods wanted to comprise the illness in the USA.

Taken together, the 4 cases are an indication the virus is now spreading inside a minimum of 4 separate areas on the US West Coast spanning almost 900 miles (1,448 km), from California’s Silicon Valley area in Santa Clara County north to the Puget Sound close to Seattle.

Coronavirus: Infected 80,000 people and killed more than 2,800

US health authorities say it means the respiratory illness that has infected almost 80,000 people and killed more than 2,800 in China is not an imported phenomenon however has taken up residence in the USA.

“What we all know now is that the virus is here, current at some stage, however, we still do not know to what degree,” mentioned Dr Sara Cody, chief public health officer for Santa Clara County, speaking of the newly recognized case there, the most recent of three in her county and the 10th detected in California.

“This case does sign to us that it’s now time to shift how we respond,” she informed a news conference on Friday.

Local media reported that the sickness of two of the sufferers- a school employee in Oregon and an elementary school student in Washington- have already led to their respective schools being closed temporarily.

The three latest sufferers- and a fourth new case believed to be travel-related in Washington state- had been diagnosed based on outcomes obtained of their respective states from CDC-supplied test kits and are considered “presumptive positive” cases pending CDC confirmatory testing, the US agency mentioned.

Even as affirmation was pending there, local authorities had been already working to hint close contacts the sufferers had with others in a bid to curb transmission.

Watch live: Washington state officials update on first coronavirus death in US

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