U. S. records first death from Coronavirus

• Places travel ban on high-risk countries

A middle-aged patient in Washington State became the first person to die from the 2019 novel coronavirus inside the United States (U. S.), officials said on Saturday as they announced additional cases and declared a state of emergency there.

At least 69 people on American soil have had confirmed cases of the novel 2019 coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in a large seafood and live animal market in Wuhan, China, where it killed thousands before spreading to dozens of other countries across the globe, with particularly severe outbreaks in Italy, South Korea, and Iran. One American also died in China earlier this month, the State Department said at the time.

President Trump said in a press conference Saturday that the person who died in Washington state overnight was a “medically high-risk patient in her late 50s.” However, Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Seattle and King County public health, later said it was actually a high-risk man in his 50s.

“It’s a tough one, but a lot of progress has been made,” Trump said, stressing that the risk to the general population remained low. “We’re doing really well,” he added, “under incredibly adverse circumstances… We’re prepared.”

“I want to assure this family that they are in the hearts of every American,” said Vice President Mike Pence, who was named this week as czar of the president’s coronavirus task force despite a public-health track record that has come under harsh scrutiny. Pence called Trump’s actions in response to the outbreak “unprecedented.”

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Pence announced additional travel restrictions on Iran and specific regions in Italy and South Korea. Trump also said he was “very strongly” considering imposing restrictions on the U.S. border with Mexico.

Pence added that the government had contracted the company 3M to make an extra 30 million face masks, on top of 40 million already available. “Let me be very clear: The average American does not need to go out and buy a mask,” he said.

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said there was currently “no evidence” that the person who died had traveled recently to China or had any contact with someone who had. Which is to say this was the latest case of what experts call, “community spread,” or cases of unknown origin.

The death came amid a surge in cases in Washington overnight. Officials announced three new cases—on top of one announced late Friday—including the first healthcare worker to test positive in the U. S., and also discussed the first possible outbreak in a long-term care nursing facility.

Duchin said the facility in question was Life Care in Kirkland, Washington. One patient was a woman in her 70s, a resident in serious condition; another patient in the state was said to be a healthcare worker in her 40s who had no known travel outside the U. S. Duchin said the facility had 108 residents and 180 staff, and there were dozens of people in both groups who had experienced symptoms and would be tested.

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“I would like to say that while there is some spread in some communities, there is not national spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, said.

Shortly after Duchin announced the outbreak at Life Care, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced he had declared a state of emergency, directing agencies to use all resources necessary to prepare for and respond to the outbreak. “This will allow us to get the resources we need,” Inslee said. “This is a time to take common sense, proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of those who live in Washington state.”

Those updates on Saturday bring the total number of cases detected in the American public health system to 22 and the total in the U. S. — including repatriated people from Wuhan and the Diamond Princess cruise — to 69.

U. S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said more cases were to be expected on American soil but that “any single death for us is a real tragedy.”