BALTIMORE (AP) - A person identified as a “provider” at Johns Hopkins Hospital has tested positive for the coronavirus, a hospital spokeswoman has confirmed.
Spokeswoman Kim Hoppe told The Baltimore Sun that the provider is at home recovering.
Hoppe would not say what position the person holds at Johns Hopkins, but said that all patients, clinicians and staff who may have had contact with the provider “have been identified and instructed to self-quarantine as directed.”
“We remain committed to the safety of our patients, clinicians and our staff, and will continue to provide updates as this situation evolves,” Hoppe said.
As of Saturday morning, the Maryland Department of Health had reported 26 confirmed cases of coronavirus. No deaths have been reported in the state.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus in a matter of weeks, but the outbreak has caused more than 5,600 deaths out of 149,000 cases worldwide.
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