1 possible coronavirus case still under investigation

Three people who recently returned to Colorado from China were flagged as possibly having contracted a newly discovered strain of the coronavirus, but so far the state hasn’t had a confirmed case.

Testing ruled out the virus for two of the patients, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still investigating the third case, state health officials said Monday. The new coronavirus causes a fever, coughing and shortness of breath — all symptoms that can come from more common illnesses, like seasonal flu.

Colorado health officials previously only had disclosed one possible case in the state: a patient at Lakewood’s Centura-St. Anthony Hospital. Officials at the hospital announced Sunday evening that CDC testing had shown their patient did not have the coronavirus.

As of Monday, the CDC had investigated 110 reports of possible coronavirus infections nationwide. Five were positive, 32 were negative, and the rest are still undergoing testing. Cases have been reported in 14 countries, but the vast majority are in China, where the virus was discovered.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment emphasized that the risk to the general public is low, and urged people to keep taking the same precautions they would during a typical flu season: washing your hands frequently, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, avoiding sick people and staying home if you aren’t feeling well.

“At this time of year, there are many causes of respiratory illness in Colorado and around the globe,” Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state

communicable disease epidemiologist, said in a news release. “It’s understandable that people may be worried about the appearance of a new virus, but the health risk to the general public in Colorado remains low.”

The department advised people who recently traveled to China and develop flu-like symptoms to call their doctor or local hospital before seeking care, so health care providers can make arrangements to prevent the potential spread of the new virus.

Most people develop symptoms within two weeks of infection, so people who traveled less recently and get sick likely have a different virus.

Much is still unknown about the new virus, including how easily it spreads and how lethal it might be. Most of the early deaths were reported in older people who had other health problems that could put them at risk of complications.

So far, more than 4,500 cases and 106 deaths have been reported worldwide, according to The Associated Press. Most of the deaths were in the city of Wuhan, where the outbreak began, or the surrounding province of Hubei, and none were reported outside China. Nearly half of the worldwide cases were in Hubei, and nearly all are in China.

While any premature death is tragic, the toll is still low compared to seasonal flu, which the CDC estimated killed about 34,000 Americans last season.