Raleigh-Durham airport traveler does not have coronavirus, NC heath officials say
An airline traveler who was tested for the coronavirus after landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Thursday does not have the potentially fatal virus, the N.C. Division of Public Health reported Saturday night.
“Negative results were received this evening from testing performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),” according to a division news release.
“We are pleased that test results were negative and that the patient remains in good health,” said Dr. Zack Moore, state epidemiologist, in the release. “We are working with CDC and local partners to be sure we are prepared to detect and respond to any possible cases that might occur in North Carolina in the future.”
Since the first coronavirus infections were diagnosed in Wuhan City, China, the virus has killed at least 26 people in China and infected hundreds more worldwide, The News & Observer previously reported.
At least two cases have been confirmed in the United States, The N&O has reported. No cases have been identified in North Carolina.
The RDU traveler was the first possible case reported in the state.
Patient had passed through Wuhan, China
Though the person in North Carolina had been to Wuhan, state health officials said the individual “had not visited the seafood and animal market that was linked to many early cases.”
Because the traveler had been in Wuhan, though, the person contacted their doctor in the United States for guidance en route back to the United States.
The traveler wore a mask upon disembarking at RDU, and people who came in contact with the individual at the airport or hospital were not considered at risk, according to the release.
Health officials said Friday it was unlikely the traveler had the virus, but that the individual had mild respiratory symptoms and was being cared for in isolation at Duke University Hospital pending the test results.
“This is someone who was very aware of the situation,” Moore said Friday at a news conference. “So the people here in North Carolina were already aware and communicating with this person. ... Arrangements were made to pretty rapidly take the person where they could be fully assessed.”
Travelers to Wuhan who develop a fever, difficulty breathing or a cough within two weeks of leaving should contact their doctor immediately, health officials are advising, and should call ahead before seeking treatment in order to avoid exposing others.
Testing for the coronavirus is only available at the CDC right now, state officials said.
Moore said Friday the risk of someone locally being infected is low.
“Broadly speaking, the major risks with this particular virus are for people who have traveled to Wuhan, China in the past 14 days,” Moore said at the news conference. “Although it is a major concern, and something we take very seriously, the risk to the general public in North Carolina is extremely low at this point.”
On Saturday, Duke University announced that Duke Kunshan University in China has postponed all classes until Feb. 17 in response to concern over the outbreak overseas.
“We will also be restricting access to our campus to essential personnel only,” the university said in a statement. “All other members of the Duke Kunshan community — students, faculty who do not reside on campus, and staff — and outside visitors will not be permitted to enter before Saturday Feb. 15.”
What is coronavirus?
The CDC is monitoring developments around an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel or new coronavirus. It was first identified last month in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, which is on the eastern side of the country. The affected area is growing.
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses, the most common of which cause a simple cold. However, this new coronavirus infection gets down into the lungs, which can cause pneumonia or bronchitis. People usually experience fever, coughing and difficulty breathing, because it’s a lower-respiratory infection.
People get it from being near someone who’s infected and breathing, talking or coughing, said Dr. Rachel Roper, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine.
She said coronaviruses spread through the air and can live on doorknobs, railings, products in stores and even keypads where you punch in your PIN or phone number. It’s similar to how people get the flu.
If a person is experiencing symptoms, they should go to a hospital but call ahead, Roper said. They should cover their mouths with a mask or a bandanna or get one as soon as they get to a healthcare facility.
This story was originally published January 25, 2020 at 8:11 PM with the headline "Raleigh-Durham airport traveler does not have coronavirus, NC heath officials say."