Coronavirus Spreads in California, New York State as U.S. Death Toll Rises to 11
U.S. deaths from the coronavirus grew with California announcing its first fatality linked to the viral infection.
The U.S. death toll from the new coronavirus grew to 11 Wednesday, with California announcing its first fatality linked to the viral infection.
An elderly California patient with underlying health conditions died, Placer County health officials said. The patient was likely exposed to the virus while aboard a cruise ship last month where an outbreak took place.
Also Wednesday, officials in Washington state said a 10th person died there from the virus. All but one of the U.S. deaths linked to the outbreak have occurred in the state. Washington now has at least 39 confirmed infections, including at least 12 new cases Wednesday, according to its health department.
Meantime, authorities announced nine new cases in California and four in New York state.
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Los Angeles County announced six new cases Wednesday, as local officials enacted emergency declarations and warned residents to prepare for social and business disruptions.
Barbara Ferrar, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said up to 3,000 people have been monitored to date and fewer than a dozen have developed symptoms. In the six new cases reported Wednesday, health officials said they know how the people came in contact with the virus and it didn’t involve community transmission.
Elsewhere in California, Orange County announced two new cases and Contra Costa County announced its first. The two people in Orange County had a history of travel to affected countries, while the Contra Costa County patient didn’t.
Now equipped with testing capabilities, officials in Orange County said they expect to find more cases. “The more you look for something, the more likely you are to find it,” said Nichole Quick, Orange County’s health officer.
The cities of Pasadena, northeast of Los Angeles, and Long Beach also said they would declare local emergencies, though neither has a confirmed case of the virus.
New York, meanwhile, reported four additional cases Wednesday, all linked to an earlier case in Westchester County north of New York City, said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The new cases include the man’s wife, children and the neighbor who drove him to a hospital.
Overall, the U.S. has 138 cases of the virus, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.