FIRST CORONAVIRUS CASE IN MASSACHUSETTS CONFIRMED

Boston — A Boston man has tested positive for the coronavirus, the first case in the state, Massachusetts health officials said Saturday.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Boston Public Health Commission say they were notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the positive test results late Friday.

The man, who is in his 20s, recently traveled to Wuhan, China, and sought medical care soon after his return to Massachusetts, they said. He is being kept in isolation until he’s cleared by public health officials.

The viral outbreak that began in China has infected more than 11,900 people globally. The virus’ rapid spread in two months prompted the World Health Organization on Thursday to declare it a global emergency.

Massachusetts health officials said the risk to the public from the coronavirus remains low in the state.

Boston’s Logan International Airport was identified as one of 20 U.S. airports where CDC officials will screen international passengers for coronavirus symptoms. Logan has three daily non-stop flights from China, though none originate in China’s central Hubei province or its capital, Wuhan.

The plans for Logan could change, now that the federal government declared a public health emergency Friday, according to Massachusetts health officials. The Trump administration took drastic steps to significantly restrict entry into the country.

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