First American dies of coronavirus in China: US Embassy
A 60-year-old diagnosed with coronavirus in Wuhan, China, has reportedly become the first U.S. citizen to die of the novel virus. He died at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 6.
“We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss. Out of the respect for the family’s privacy, we have no further comment,” the spokesperson said.
Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also offered his condolences on behalf of the agency and said the CDC remains “vigilant” in its efforts to prevent further spread and impact of the deadly virus.
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing confirmed the patient’s death Friday night but few other details is given.
The fast-spreading virus has killed more than 908 and infected more than 40,171 in nationwide as of Sunday.
Chinese officials are still trying to stem the flow of infections in the mainland as the virus continues to spread globally.
As of Friday, 72 countries have implemented travel restrictions, according to the World Health Organization.
So far 12 patients have been diagnosed with the virus in the U.S., but some have already been released from the hospital. In Wisconsin, 14 patients were tested for the virus, one of which became the latest confirmed case. Five more are still awaiting results while the others came back negative.
