Breaking: Coronavirus spreads to USA as China returnee infects husband

The fast-spreading coronavirus has been confirmed in the USA after a man in Chicago contracted the virus from his wife who traveled to China.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disclosed on Thursday, January 30, that this is the first confirmed case of person-to-person transmission of the virus in the country, CNN reports.

The CDC said the woman, who is in her 60s, was diagnosed after returning from Wuhan, China, where the outbreak originated.

Doctors told reporters during a telebriefing that the woman was doing quite well and remains hospitalized primarily for isolation.

Her husband who is also in his 60s did not travel to China but was admitted to the hospital after being infected by his wife.

“Given what we’ve seen in China versus other countries, CDC experts have expected to find some person-to-person spread in the United States,” CDC director Dr Robert Redfield said during the telebriefing.

“Given what we’ve seen in China versus other countries, CDC experts have expected to find some person-to-person spread in the United States,” CDC director Dr Robert Redfield said during the telebriefing.

“Based on what we know now, our assessment remains that the immediate risk to the American public is low.”