一种起源于中国武汉的新型冠状病毒在传播到泰国、韩国和日本后，在美国被发现。
疾病控制和预防中心发言人告诉记者路透社周二，一个从中国来到西雅图的人被诊断出感染了这种病毒。这是美国第一例已知的病毒病例，正值世界卫生组织(世卫组织)正准备开会决定疫情是否构成国际紧急情况。
据世卫组织称，这种被称为2019-nCoV的病毒是一种此前尚未在人类中发现的毒株，会导致一种肺炎。据英国广播公司报道，对该病毒遗传密码的分析显示，它与严重急性呼吸系统综合症(非典)最为相似。症状包括发烧、咳嗽和呼吸困难。
据美联社报道，已有约300例病例，其中许多感染者与武汉的海鲜和动物市场有关联。起初人们认为病毒是通过与市场的联系从动物传播到人身上的，但现在人们在没有接触市场的情况下感染了病毒，这向疾病预防控制中心表明病毒也可以通过人类接触传播。
周六在洛杉矶，一名机场官员走过抵达洛杉矶国际机场的国际旅客，对来自中国武汉的人进行冠状病毒健康检查的第一天。周二，疾控中心发言人告诉路透社，美国第一例已知冠状病毒病例是在西雅图发现的。
新闻周刊联系了疾控中心，但没有及时收到发表的回复。
在中国以外，日本、韩国和泰国都有病例报告，周五，疾病预防控制中心宣布美国公众面临的风险较低。然而，在“积极准备”的行动中，疾病预防控制中心和国土安全部海关和边境保护局将在美国三个主要机场实施额外的健康检查。
通过武汉直飞或转机前往旧金山国际机场、纽约约翰·肯尼迪国际机场或洛杉矶国际机场的乘客将接受检查。乘客需要量体温，并被要求填写症状问卷。
周三，16名世卫组织成员和5名顾问将召开紧急委员会会议，以确定2019-nCoV是否构成公共卫生紧急情况，以及应对疫情提出哪些建议。
官员们仍在学习关于当前病毒株特征的新信息，由于冠状病毒的性质不同，没有特定的治疗方法。不过，个别症状是可以治疗的，世卫组织的玛丽亚·范·克尔霍夫医生建议人们采取行动预防感染。她建议用肥皂和水洗手，打喷嚏到肘部，确保所有的肉在食用前都做好。
FIRST U.S. CASE OF CORONAVIRUS FROM CHINA IDENTIFIED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
After spreading to Thailand, South Korea and Japan, a novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, has been discovered in the United States.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday that a person, who traveled to Seattle from China, was diagnosed with the virus. It's the first known case of the virus in America and comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing to meet to decide if the outbreak constitutes an international emergency.
The virus, known as 2019-nCoV, is a strain that hasn't previously been identified in humans, according to WHO, and causes a type of pneumonia. An analysis of the virus' genetic code showed it was most similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), according to BBC. Symptoms include fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
According to this Associated Press, about 300 cases have been reported and many of those infected have a link to a seafood and animal market in Wuhan. Initially believed to spread from animals to people because of the connection to the market, cases of people contracting the virus without being exposed to the market now indicate to the CDC that it can also spread through human contact.
An airport officer walks past international travelers arriving to Los Angeles International Airport on the first day of health screenings for coronavirus of people coming from Wuhan, China, on Saturday in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, a CDC spokesperson told Reuters that the first known case of coronavirus in the U.S. was discovered in Seattle.
Newsweek reached out to the CDC but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Outside of China, cases have been reported in Japan, South Korea and Thailand and on Friday, the CDC announced the risk to the American public was low. However, in an act of "proactive preparedness," the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection would implement additional health screenings at three major U.S. airports.
Screenings were designated for passengers who traveled to San Francisco International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York or Los Angeles International Airport, by way of direct or connecting flights from Wuhan. Passengers would have their temperature taken and be asked to fill out a symptom questionnaire.
On Wednesday, 16 WHO members and five advisors will meet for an emergency committee to determine if 2019-nCoV constitutes a public health emergency and what recommendations should be made to manage the outbreak.
Officials are still learning new information about the characteristics of the current virus strain and since coronaviruses vary in their nature, there isn't a specific cure. Individual symptoms can be treated, though, and Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove at WHO advised people to take action to prevent infection. She recommended washing hands with soap and water, sneezing into elbows and ensuring all meat is properly cooked before consumption.
