A Chicago couple, hospitalized for the coronavirus in the first human spread of the coronavirus in the U.S., have been discharged and will isolate themselves in their home.
A woman in her 60s caught the illness when she traveled in December to Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak that’s sickened thousands, to care for her sick father, the Chicago Tribune reported.
She returned to Chicago in mid-January and passed the virus on to her husband, who is also in his 60s and has underlying health conditions. The husband did not travel to China.
The husband and wife were being treated in isolation at Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center Hoffman Estates. On Friday, hospital officials announced they were discharged per advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois health department.
They are transitioning to “home isolation,” a St. Alexius spokesman told the Tribune.
Ten other cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in the U.S. Test results for 100 suspected patients are pending, and 225 people have tested negative, according to the CDC.
Since the outbreak was reported in December, the coronavirus has infected more than 31,000 people, mostly in China, and killed more than 630. About two dozen countries outside of China, including the U.S., have reported 270 cases.
The CDC this week began distributing test kits to labs throughout the nation. The test kits are able to get results as quickly as four hours after testing specimens from patients suspected of having the coronavirus.
The STate Department has evacuated 300 passengers from Wuhan this week. They will be quarantined for two weeks.
• Shen Wu Tan can be reached at stan@washingtontimes.com.
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