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Friday, 29 March 2024

CDC confirms first coronavirus case of unknown origin

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CDC confirms first coronavirus case of unknown origin
CDC confirms first coronavirus case of unknown origin

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed an infection of the new coronavirus in California in someone who had not traveled outside the United States or been exposed to a person known to have the virus, a first for the country.

Yahaira Jacquez reports.

U.S. health officials have confirmed the first possible community transmission of the coronavirus in the country.

After a person in California who was reportedly not exposed to anyone known to be infected and had not traveled to countries where the virus is circulating - was infected.

That person is now being treated at UC Davis Medical Center, according to a statement from the Sacramento hospital, Health officials have been on high alert for community spread - which refers to the spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown.

Dr. Dean Blumberg - an infectious disease expert at UC Davis Medical Center - says this new case means the virus may already be spreading.

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) DR. DEAN BLUMBERG, UC DAVIS HEALTH, SAYING: "We only have this one confirmed case of community transmission-but it suggests that we don't know where they got it from-so the person who exposed them probably exposed others.

So there's probably other cases in the community that we don't know about." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the infection on Wednesday - bringing the total number of cases in the United States to 60.

(SOUND BITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "We're very, very ready for this." The case was announced shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the global spread of the virus - which originated in China, and said containment measures had limited its spread in the U.S. (SOUND BITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "Because of all we've done, the risk to the American people remains very low... We're ready to adapt and we're ready to do whatever we have to as the disease spreads, if it spreads." Trump announced that Vice President Mike Pence would be in charge of America's response to the virus, which has rapidly spread outside of China - in Iran, Italy and South Korea.

Leading officials across the globe rushing to implement emergency measures.

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