First Coronavirus Case in NY Confirmed
The first case of the potentially fatal strain of the coronavirus has been confirmed in New York.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced late Sunday a New York woman in her late thirties, contracted the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, while traveling abroad in Iran.
"There is no cause for surprise -- this was expected. As I said from the beginning, it was a matter of when, not if there would be a positive case of novel coronavirus in New York," Cuomo said in a statement. "There is no reason for undue anxiety -- the general risk remains low in New York. We are diligently managing this situation and will continue to provide information as it becomes available."
Cuomo didn’t say where in New York the woman lives, but multiple news outlets report she lives in New York City.
"The positive test was confirmed by New York's Wadsworth Lab in Albany, underscoring the importance of the ability for our state to ensure efficient and rapid turnaround, and is exactly why I advocated for the approval from Vice President Pence that New York was granted just yesterday, " Cuomo said. "Last week I called for the Legislature to pass a $40 million emergency management authorization to confront this evolving situation -- I look forward to its swift passage.
Health officials have gotten in touch with people in close contact with the woman who may have been exposed, according to New York City Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot.
Signs and symptoms of this illness include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. It has the potential to cause severe disease and death, officials say.
As of this writing, two Americans have died from the coronavirus, both are from Washington State. Over 3,000 people have now died from the respiratory illness, the majority coming from China.
This weekend Vice President Mike Pence said more deaths in the United States as a result of the coronavirus are likely, but added the average American is still at a low risk of coming down with the respiratory illness.