Cuomo Holds A Briefing On The First Confirmed Case Of Coronavirus In New York

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NEW YORK — New York confirms first positive test result of the new virus that has sickened tens of thousands across the globe.

The sick person was a woman in her late 30s who contracted the virus while traveling in Iran, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office said.





She is currently self-quarantined in her Manhattan home. The woman has respiratory symptoms, “but is not in serious condition and has been in a controlled situation since arriving in New York,” the governor’s office said.

The statement didn’t say when the woman returned to the city after her travels, though a statement from Mayor Bill de Blasio said the travel was recent.

“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 said in a statement.





















More than 80,000 cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, have occurred worldwide since the virus emerged in China. About 3,000 people have died. The illness is characterized by fever and coughing and in serious cases shortness of breath or pneumonia.

Cuomo and other state and city officials had said the emergence of a New York case was considered inevitable, given the city’s role as a hub of international travel.

While there is no evidence yet that the virus has been spreading in New York among people who haven’t traveled, the addition of the city to the list of places with confirmed cases of the virus seemed likely to raise anxiety and potentially pose a threat to tourism.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.









 

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