UMASS BOSTON STUDENT FIRST

A University of Massachusetts Boston student returning from the epicenter of a novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, has become the first confirmed case of the potentially deadly illness in Massachusetts.

The man, who is in his 20s, landed at Logan International Airport directly from China on Jan. 28 with a runny nose. He sought medical treatment the next day, public health officials said.

He did not require hospitalization and has been “isolated” at home while public health nurses continue to monitor his condition, city and state health officials said in a telephone press conference Saturday, after being notified of the student’s positive test result for the virus late Friday by the Centers for Disease Control.

The student was “doing quite well,” they said.

“We are fortunate in that the man quickly recognized that he was sick, that he was at risk for infection, and sought medical care quickly,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Infectious Disease.

Madoff said the number of people the student came in contact with was “very few” and was limited to household members and the medical professionals who treated him, all of whom are now being monitored for signs of illness. The CDC will handle contacting any “potential exposures,” he said.

“The risk remains quite low at this time,” Madoff said. “This is the only case in Massachusetts and we are closely monitoring it.”

The student lives off-campus and did not take part in on-campus activities at UMass Boston after his return, health officials said. They chose to quarantine the man in his home to minimize the risk of spreading the respiratory infection in a hospital, where such viruses can run rampant.

It is unclear how long the student will remain in isolation. Medical professionals aren’t yet sure the “length of time that someone is capable of spreading the virus,” Madoff said.

UMass Boston addressed the situation in a letter to the school community Saturday.

“State and city public health authorities have informed us that the risk to members of our community is low. For these reasons, we expect ‘business as usual’ on campus,” interim Chancellor Katherine Newman wrote.

Dr. Jennifer Lo, Boston Public Health Commission medical director, said people should not be “letting our

STUART CAHILL PHOTOS / HERALD STAFF ARRIVAL: Students in the area of the UMass Boston dormitories are seen Saturday after a student at the school was diagnosed with the state’s first confirmed case of coronavirus. At right, a student plays with a medical mask.