Doctors and public health officials in Washington have revealed more details about the first U.S. case of the new coronavirus.
On Friday, a case report was published in the New England Journal of Medicine about the 35-year-old man from Snohomish County who was diagnosed with the virus.
It discusses the progression of the illness, which included fever and pneumonia.
Doctors at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett used a new anti-viral drug that was developed as a treatment for Ebola on the patient.
“This if the first reported case in the world where this drug has been used in a human application against this virus, to be my knowledge,” said Dr. Jay Cook, the hospital’s chief medical officer.
The patient is in satisfactory condition and remains in isolation.
More than 20 people have been tested in Washington state for the coronavirus. All have come back negative so far except the first case. Six test results are still pending.
Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines announced a temporary suspension of all its flights between the Pacific Northwest and mainland China today. The airline says this is "due to ongoing concerns related to the coronavirus."
Delta says its last China-bound flights from the U.S. will take off on Monday. That includes service from Seattle to Shanghai and Beijing. The final departures from China will be next Wednesday — to give travelers who want to exit China enough time to arrange that. Thereafter, flights are suspended until the end of April.
An updated travel warning from the U.S. State Department says flatly: “Do not travel to China,” because of the rapidly spreading outbreak.
Delta's suspension of China flights is in line with similar moves by American, United and Air Canada. Foreign airlines maintain nonstop air links between the Pacific Northwest and the China region. Cathay Pacific continues to fly between Hong Kong and Seattle and Air China and China Eastern serve Vancouver, B.C.
