Test results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a possible coronavirus case being investigated in San Diego were supposed to come back Wednesday, but county officials now say it could take another week before the results are sent back.
The investigation began on Sunday when an individual who had traveled to Wuhan, China reported feeling ill, according to the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA).
A specimen was taken from the individual and sent to the CDC for testing, but County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher (District 4) and other officials say the results of that test might not be confirmed until next week.
The patient is under home quarantine and is showing signs of improvement, according to an HHSA official.
So far this season the flu has claimed 39 lives in San Diego County and the number of total cases is nearing 12,000. There are currently no confirmed coronavirus cases in San Diego County.
More than 130 people have died from the coronavirus but all of those deaths occurred in China.
The risk of infection for the public is minimal especially if you have not traveled to Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, or other areas where the virus has been detected. Your risk is also low if you have not had close contact with someone with the coronavirus, according to the HHSA Public Health Officer, Dr. Wilma Wooten.
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Along with this new case, the San Diego International Airport said Tuesday that it is now one of 20 airports across the United States that has a CDC quarantine station nearby.
"The CDC has informed us that if Customs and Border Protection personnel at our International Arrivals facility encounter an ill passenger, they are to contact the CDC directly for further assessment," said Jonathan Heller, director of communications for the San Diego International Airport.
There are no direct flights between the San Diego Airport and any airport in China. Heller said in collaboration with CDC and CBP, the airport has posted informational graphics on monitors in the International Arrivals area that outlines the steps travelers can take if they have recently traveled to China and are feeling sick.
