The first case of person-to-person infection of the novel coronavirus in the United States was announced Thursday morning, just hours before the World Health Organization designated the virus as a global health emergency. In mainland China, infected cases now number more than 9,000, with 213 deaths.
While the news is raising alarms for some even here in San Diego, where one person was under investigation but has since been cleared, health officials say risks to the American public are low. As of Thursday, there are six confirmed cases of patients with coronavirus.
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When it comes to just how dangerous this virus really is, UC San Diego infectious disease expert Francesca Torriani says the mortality rate so far is relatively low when compared to other viruses, like flu, which has already caused more than 8,000 deaths in the U.S. this season.
"Right now in California, alone for this season we’ve had approximately 150 deaths, that’s you know, nearly 90% of the deaths we’ve had with coronavirus only occurring in California," Torriani said.
Health officials are still figuring out how this virus, which comes from animals, works in humans.
"Not all household contacts, so close contacts, acquire the disease and so it’s effective but not that effective," Torriani said. "And passengers on the same flight as the person that was affected do not all get the disease."
Data shows coronavirus appears to be an airborne illness that can spread through coughs and sneezes. So, regulating person-to-person contact is key. That’s why the World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared a global emergency Thursday.
“We don’t know what sort of damage this virus could do if it were to spread in a country with a weaker health system," he said.
The Centers for Disease Control have said the risks of spreading in America are low. In an afternoon phone call, Nancy Messonnier, director of the Center for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said authorities are still being cautious.
"We expect to see additional cases in the United States. We think they could be in travelers returning from Hubei province," she said. "We think there could be cases with it's likely that we have cases among close contact of patients who have returned."
The CDC says the number of passengers traveling into the U.S. from Wuhan, China, where the virus originated, has decreased, thanks to security measures.
Torianni says people can protect themselves by staying away from those who have contracted the disease and follow practices like washing hands and covering their mouths when coughing. One San Diego patient under investigation received negative test results from the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday.
"I think they may have an alternative diagnosis," she said. "I think they may have an alternative reason for this patient to be ill."
Torriani said she’s confident in the health care providers here and urges people to not be misled by misinformation spreading on social media.
