A Rhode Island man getting back from Europe is that state’s doubtless first novel coronavirus case, state officers stated Sunday. The informatio
A Rhode Island man getting back from Europe is that state’s doubtless first novel coronavirus case, state officers stated Sunday. The information comes as Washington state introduced two new instances of Covid-19, the illness attributable to the novel coronavirus, and the Trump administration says guests from high-risk areas might be screened earlier than and after arriving within the US.
On Sunday, the Wall Road Journal reported that there’s a doubtless an infection in Rhode Island, and Washington announced two new confirmed infections, which might convey that state’s complete variety of instances to eight.
The Rhode Island affected person is reportedly a person in his 40s who traveled to Europe final month. The most recent sufferers in Washington are each males of their 60s; each are reportedly in important situation.
The Rhode Island affected person reportedly stopped in Italy, which has greater than 1,100 confirmed cases of Covid-19. He examined constructive for the virus on the state laboratories of the Rhode Island Division of Well being (RIDOH), in keeping with native experiences.
He’s affiliated with Saint Raphael Academy, a personal Catholic college in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in keeping with a statement put out by that faculty. The assertion seems to recommend that the contaminated individual was taking part in a discipline journey to Europe alongside different college members and college students on the college.
That college will cancel courses for the following two days, the assertion reads, “out of an abundance of warning.”
The governor of Rhode Island, Gina Raimondo, inspired warning, however stated there may be not but trigger for alarm.
“The chance right here in Rhode Island, at this level, is low and we’ve been getting ready for this for weeks,” stated Raimondo. “So the message is, ‘Watch out and be vigilant, however don’t panic.’”
State officers stated that they’re making an attempt to achieve about 40 individuals who interacted with the affected person, and can check those that exhibit signs, and reiterated that the case just isn’t case for panic.
“We’re not seeing widespread group transmission in Rhode Island,” stated Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the RIDOH director.
Whereas the variety of Covid-19 instances is above 87,000 globally, nearly all of these instances are in mainland China, South Korea, Iran, and Italy. China, for example, has 79,862 confirmed instances as of Sunday night.
By comparability, the US caseload is pretty small: as of Saturday, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention stated there have been 22 confirmed and presumed constructive instances within the US, not counting instances wherein folks have been repatriated. The instances in Rhode Island and Washington would improve that quantity by three.
The brand new instances — in addition to the primary US coronavirus-related death, which occurred Friday night time — have lead American public well being officers to name for severe preparations to be made to restrict the virus’ unfold, and the Trump administration has begun responding to those requests with new journey protocols.
How the Trump administration is responding
President Donald Trump stated on Twitter on Sunday that individuals touring to the US from affected areas might be screened each earlier than boarding their planes and after arriving stateside.
Coronavirus: Along with screening vacationers “previous to boarding” from sure designated excessive danger international locations, or areas inside these international locations, they may also be screened once they arrive in America. Thanks! @VP @SecAzar @CDCgov @CDCDirector
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2020
That information got here after the administration announced on Saturday that it might reply to the rising risk by increasing its current travel ban on Iran and issuing “don’t journey” warnings to affected areas in Italy and South Korea.
Vice President Mike Pence, the newly-appointed head of the federal government’s response to the virus, stated Saturday that overseas nationals who’ve traveled to Iran within the final two weeks might be barred from coming into the US.
Trump has also said that his administration is “strongly” contemplating closing the southern border with Mexico because of the virus. He didn’t specify how this could assist restrict the unfold of the novel virus; Mexico, in contrast to Iran, doesn’t have many Covid-19 instances — at present, it has only four.
The president has made a lot of public statements in regards to the virus in latest days, holding a press convention Saturday to attempt to allay issues. And at a rally on Friday night time, he known as criticism of his coronavirus response — critics have stated the administration’s response has been disorganized and that not enough money have been allotted to struggle the virus — as a Democratic “hoax,” declaring that no Individuals had but died of the illness.
Hours later, after an American did die, Trump was requested at a press convention if he regretted linking the virus to the phrase hoax.
“No no no,” Trump responded. “‘Hoax’ referring to the motion [Democrats] take to attempt to pin this on any person, as a result of we’ve finished such an excellent job. The hoax is on them.”
The brand new instances are a reminder the job just isn’t but finished. Scientists are nonetheless working to grasp the virus, and are nonetheless engaged on a vaccine as nicely. Within the meantime, public well being officers have stated regular precautions — washing palms, avoiding publicity to sick folks, and regularly wiping down surfaces — are the best methods to attenuate danger of publicity.