Tennessee reports first coronavirus case in the state
Public health officials in Tennessee reported the first case of coronavirus.
The patient is a 44-year-old man in Williamston County, just south of Nashville, who had recently traveled out of state, officials said during a press conference Thursday morning that was live streamed on Facebook.
Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said the man had shared his travel history with her department and they were “tracking that down.”
She said the state learned about the case Wednesday night and officials are working to identify anyone who could have been exposed.
Piercy said the man’s symptoms are mild and he and those he lives with are self-quarantined at home.
She said the man returned to the state four or five days ago from traveling within the United States, but did not say if the man’s case is connected to known outbreaks in the country.
Earlier this week North Carolina reported its first case of the respiratory virus, called COVID-19. Two coronavirus cases were also confirmed in Atlanta this week.
“I have full confidence in our preparedness plan that we have put in place,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said at the news conference.
He stressed that many cases of the virus are mild and that people can help by washing their hands and not going out if they are sick, similar to what you would do to avoid getting the flu.
Eleven people have died from the disease in the United States as of Wednesday. More than 93,000 people have been infected around the world and about 3,200 have died, according to the World Health Organization.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 10:47 AM with the headline "Tennessee reports first coronavirus case in the state."
