The Trump administration Saturday announced additional travel restrictions affecting Iran, Italy and South Korea in response to the coronavirus outbreak following the first death from the virus in the United States, the Washington Post reports.
Vice President Pence said the existing travel ban on Iran would extend to foreign nationals who had been in that country the past 14 days. The State Department also is increasing its warning advising Americans not to travel to parts of Italy and South Korea affected by the virus.
Right before the White House’s news conference, health officials in Washington state confirmed that a patient infected with the novel coronavirus in Washington state has died, marking the first death due to the virus in the United States, CNN reports.
The patient was a man in his 50s who had underlying health conditions, according to Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, health officer for Seattle and King County, Washington state.
The Washington State Department of Health confirms the first U.S. death from COVID-19 has occurred here in the state of Washington. We will share more information at a media briefing today at 1pm. Information to watch via livestream will be shared here. #COVID19
— WA Dept. of Health (@WADeptHealth) February 29, 2020
There was no evidence the patient had close contact with an infected person or a relevant travel history that would have exposed the patient to the virus, Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at the White House Saturday, suggesting the patient became ill through community spread.
The governor of Washington declared a state of emergency Saturday after the patient’s death. More than 50 people in a nursing facility are sick and being tested for the virus.
Gov. Jay Inslee directed state agencies to use “all resources necessary” to prepare for and respond to the coronavirus outbreak. The declaration also allows the use of the Washington National Guard, if necessary.
“We will continue to work toward a day where no one dies from this virus,” the governor vowed.
Health officials in California, Oregon and Washington state are worried about the novel coronavirus spreading through West Coast communities because a growing number of people are being infected despite not having visited an area where there was an outbreak, nor apparently been in contact with anyone who had.
Health officials previously said at least 4 US coronavirus patients had no travel history that would tie them to the virus.
