Coronavirus Case Confirmed In Texas Patient Evacuated From China

SAN ANTONIO, TX — The 15th case of the new coronavirus has been confirmed in the U.S. in a patient quarantined in Texas, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The patient is among a group of people evacuated from China by the federal government who was quarantined at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. It's the first person under the federal quarantine at the base who has tested positive for the virus known as COVID-19.

According to The Associated Press, the patient is in isolation and is reported to be in stable condition. Hundreds of people, including U.S. State Department employees and their families, were brought to military bases in Texas, California and Nebraska aboard chartered flights from Wuhan, a city of 11 million that is at the center of the outbreak.

COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.

Symptoms occur anywhere between two to 14 days after exposure. Some people have reported little to no symptoms while others have experiences severe illness and death, federal health officials say. Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
There is no vaccine to prevent the virus. In general, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following tips to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe

Reporting and writing from The Associated Press was used in this report.