Health officials in Massachusetts confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the state after a man returning from Wuhan, China, tested positive for the infection.
The man is in his 20s and lives in Boston, the state’s Department of Health said in a press release on Saturday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified health officials about the case late Friday evening, the release stated, adding that the risk to the public is low.
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This is the eighth confirmed case of coronavirus in the United States. On Friday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a public health emergency in the U.S. over the infection.
Starting Sunday at 5 p.m. ET, all passengers on flights to the U.S. who have been in Hubei province in the last 14 days will be subject to up to 14 days of quarantine, officials said. Wuhan, is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, and is located in Hubei.
The Boston man had recently traveled to Wuhan and sought medical treatment soon after returning to Massachusetts, the Department of Health said in its release. He has been in isolation ever since and will remain isolated until public health officials clear him.
People known to have been in close contact with him are being monitored for symptoms, officials said.
“We are grateful that this young man is recovering and sought medical attention immediately,” said Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel. “Massachusetts has been preparing for a possible case of this new coronavirus, and we were fortunate that astute clinicians took appropriate action quickly. Again, the risk to the public from the 2019 novel coronavirus remains low in Massachusetts.”
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in China grew to 11,791 with 259 deaths as of the end of the day Friday local time, China’s national health commission said on its website.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
