Japan confirmed its first case of the new China coronavirus. The virus already killed one person and prompted a travel alert from the US State Department.
A man from Kanagawa tested positive of the new virus, Japan’s health ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The patient who is in his 30s previously traveled to Wuhan city, where the then mysterious pneumonia originated.
Reports said the man returned home this month from Wuhan with fever and has been hospitalized.
Medical experts believed the new coronavirus strain caused the contagious disease.
The State Department issued a health alert update on Wednesday about travel to the Wuhan region. It referenced a Watch Level 1 Alert by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urging citizens traveling in the area to avoid contact with animals, animal markets, or animal products, among other precautions.
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New China coronavirus kills one, first case recorded in Japan
According to Reuters, Thai health authorities said on Wednesday they were closely monitoring passengers arriving at airports ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. 800,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the new China coronavirus virus could spread and warned hospitals worldwide to be prepared.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Some of the virus types cause less severe disease, while some – like the one that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) – are far more severe.
Meanwhile, the Japanese patient was released yesterday after the symptoms subsided, according to the health ministry statement.