First Coronavirus Case in New York Has Been Confirmed

New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday night that the state has its first confirmed case of coronavirus, the New York Times reports. Cuomo would only describe the patient as a woman in her late 30s, who contracted the virus while traveling in Iran. She is being self-quarantined inside her Manhattan home. 

“The patient has respiratory symptoms, but is not in serious condition and has been in a controlled situation since arriving to New York,” Cuomo said in a statement, per ABC News. WABC reports investigators will now determine when she returned to the state, and seek out anyone she was traveling with.

There are two people from New York City still awaiting the results of their tests, which should come within the next two days. 

In light of the declaration from Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, that “it’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen” in the U.S., Cuomo tried to also ease the elevating concerns of New Yorkers. 

“There is no reason for undue anxiety — the general risk remains low in New York,” he added. “We are diligently managing this situation and will continue to provide information as it becomes available.”