Texas A&M student being tested for Chinese coronavirus, Brazos County officials say
Editor’s note: The student suspected of having the coronavirus tested negative for the virus on Jan. 26.
Brazos County Health District is investigating a suspected case of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in a Texas A&M student, the department announced Thursday.
The student traveled to Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus originated, and showed symptoms of the virus, according to the Brazos County Health District. Brazos County is about 100 miles northwest of Houston.
Texas A&M University announced they were notified by the Brazos County Health District that a student may have a possible case of the virus.
“Texas A&M continues to work with its Student Health Services and the Brazos County Health District,” the university said in a statement. “Officials have described the immediate health risk to the campus community as low.”
The student met the criteria to be tested for the coronavirus and is being isolated at home while the testing is done, the Brazos Health department said. The department will announce whether the case is confirmed.
The virus is a respiratory illness that is believed to have been transmitted from animals to people at a market in Wuhan. Cases have been reported in Japan, Thailand, and South Korea, NPR reported. On Jan. 23, Singapore and Vietnam also confirmed that coronavirus has spread to their countries, the Associated Press reported.
The first case in the U.S. was identified on Jan. 21. A Washington man in his 30s began feeling ill after he returned from a trip to Wuhan. He’s in “stable condition” at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, The Washington Post reported.
In response to the virus, the president of the American Airlines Flight Attendants Union urged airlines to step up precautionary actions to protect flight crew and passengers on Thursday.
Those that have traveled to Wuhan, China and have flu-like symptoms are encouraged to call the health district at 979-361-4440, the department said.
Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath and sore throat.
Chinese cities, including Beijing and Wuhan, banned large gatherings for the Lunar New Year in an attempt to stop the spread of the outbreak, The Washington Post reported.
Wuhan was put on lockdown on Jan. 22, with authorities banning transportation and saying “nobody was to be allowed out,” according to CBS. Transportation was also suspended in Huanggang and Ezhou, USA Today reported. The virus has infected hundreds of people so far and killed at least 17 people in China.
Airports in London, New York, Los Angeles, Dubai, and more have begun screening passengers coming from China for symptoms of the virus, according to The Washington Post.
The World Health Organization is currently considering whether to declare a global health emergency over the outbreak, The Guardian reported.
On Thursday, the White House said President Donald Trump had been briefed on the coronavirus outbreak in China and “remains consistently vigilant” about preventing a widespread outbreak in the U.S.
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Texas A&M student being tested for Chinese coronavirus, Brazos County officials say."
