The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed a fifth U.S. case of a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
This virus, which has caused an outbreak of respiratory illness, was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Media reports are noting that Chinese health authorities have reported nearly 3,000 thousand infections and 80 deaths connected to the virus as of Monday, January 27 — figures likely to increase.
The five U.S. cases of 2019-nCoV were confirmed in recent travelers from Wuhan in four states: Arizona, California, Illinois and Washington. Other countries with confirmed 2019-nCoV cases include Australia, France and Japan.
Symptoms of 2019-nCoV infections include fever, cough and shortness of breath. CDC believes at this time that symptoms of 2019-nCoV may appear in as few as two days or as long as two weeks after exposure.
As CDC notes, many of the initially confirmed patients in Wuhan reportedly had a link to a seafood and animal market, which suggested animal-to-person spread. However, a growing number of patients reportedly have not had such exposure to animal markets, which suggests that person-to-person spread is occurring.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently convened an emergency committee regarding the outbreak. WHO has also issued the first edition of infection prevention and control guidance intended for healthcare workers, healthcare managers and infection prevention and control teams. This guidance can be downloaded here.
Infection Control Consulting Services (ICCS), a U.S.-based team of infection prevention and infection control consultants, is advising its clients that at this juncture, continue to have office staff prescreen for fever and respiratory symptoms. If patients give a positive history, staff should ask these patients if they have been traveling out of the country, namely to Asia.
Clients with a heightened level of concern can begin screening all patients for travel to/from China as an additional line item. If clients choose to take this approach, they should have a plan for how they will respond to confirmation of such travel. While ICCS is a firm believer in being proactive, there are many viruses circulating and one should not assume those with common winter colds and flu have coronavirus.