U.S. reports 1st case of person-to-person spread

New York — For the first time in the U.S., the new virus from China has spread from one person to another, health officials said Thursday.

The latest case — the sixth in the country — is the husband of a Chicago woman who got sick from the virus after she returned from the epicenter of an outbreak in China. There have been previous cases in China and elsewhere of the virus spreading between people in a household or workplace.

The other five U.S. cases are travelers who developed the respiratory illness after returning to the U.S. from China. The latest patient had not been in China.

The Chicago woman came back from the central China city of Wuhan on Jan. 13, then last week went to a hospital with symptoms and was diagnosed with the viral illness. She and her husband, both in their 60s, are hospitalized. Neither has been identified.

The man began feeling sick Tuesday and was put in isolation that day. Tests confirming that he was infected came back Wednesday night, Illinois health officials said at a Chicago news conference.

Twenty-one people, including health care workers, who may have had close contact with the man are being monitored, the officials said. But they were quick to try to ease any concerns that the case may signal the start of a local outbreak.

“The risk to the general public remains low. This person-to-person spread was between two very close contacts, a husband and wife,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The man generally relies on his car to get around, had not been on any public trains in the Chicago area and had not attended any large gatherings, officials said.

The virus can cause fever, coughing, wheezing and pneumonia. Health officials think it spreads mainly from droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how the flu spreads.

Experts have said they expected additional U.S. cases, and that at least some limited spread of the disease in the country was likely.

The quick detection and isolation of the new patient shows “the system is working,” said Schaffner, adding that he does not expect the virus to become widespread in this country.

“The risk to the general public remains low. This person-to-person spread was between two very close contacts, a husband and wife.” DR. NGOZI EZIKE, DIRECTOR OF ILLINOIS DEPT. OF PUBLIC HEALTH