The Wuhan Virus Has Spread To The US And Taiwan With First Case Confirmed In Each Country
Meanwhile, a total of 440 cases have been confirmed across China.
By May Vin Ang — 22 Jan 2020, 01:07 PM
The new virus that originated in Wuhan, China has spread to the United States (US) and Taiwan, with authorities from both countries reporting their first cases yesterday, 21 January
Both patients were reported to have just travelled back from the central province in China to their home cities of Seattle and Taipei, respectively.
Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control personnel using thermal scanners to screen passengers arriving from Wuhan at Taoyuan Internation Airport in Taipei.
Image via AFP/The Straits TimesThe US case is a man in his thirties from Snohomish County, Seattle.
He became ill four days after arriving back home from Wuhan.
According to CNN, he arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last Wednesday, 15 January, prior to screenings for the Wuhan coronavirus began at US airports.
He then sought medical care on Sunday, 19 January.
Doctors suspected the man had the virus based on the his symptoms and travel history. They sent specimens to the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, where tests confirmed the virus on Monday, 21 January.Health officials said that the man is in good health now but is still being kept in isolation out of an abundance of caution, reported Business Insider.
The Taiwanese patient is a woman in her fifties living in Wuhan, who returned to Taipei on Monday, 20 January, with symptoms that include fever, coughing, and a sore throat
The woman reported her symptoms to quarantine officials on arrival at Taoyuan airport and was immediately taken to a hospital, said the island's CDC, as quoted by New Straits Times.
It was reported that she had not visited any local markets or had contact with birds or wild animals while in Wuhan.
The authorities are monitoring some 46 passengers and crew from the same flight.
The Taiwan CDC raised its alert on Wuhan to the highest level, urging citizens against travelling to the Chinese city unless necessary
"We ask the public not to panic as the individual was taken to hospital directly from the airport and did not step into the community," it said in a statement, according to The Straits Times.
The agency added that it has reported the case to Chinese authorities and the World Health Organisation.
Meanwhile in China, the death toll has raised to 9 while a total of 440 cases have been confirmed across the country today, 22 January
According to CNA, China's national health commission also reported that more than 2,000 cases of people who have had close contact with the patients have been detected.
The virus has claimed a few more lives since it was reported that it can spread among people yesterday:
