Los Angeles (AFP)
An already fragile man in his 50s has died in Washington State after contracting the new coronavirus, authorities said on Saturday, reporting the first epidemic-related death in the country. American, still very spared.
But like the man victim of the Covid-19 virus, several patients diagnosed in recent days had no known link with an outbreak of the epidemic, which suggests that the disease is starting to spread on American soil.
"There is no reason to panic," said President Donald Trump at a press conference, even though US Health Minister Alex Azar, present with him, warned that "we (are going ) see new cases ". Initially the president announced that the deceased victim was a woman.
Some 22 Covid-19 cases have been reported in the United States, Trump said.
To these cases are added 47 patients repatriated to the United States.
The death occurred at a King County hospital, which includes the city of Seattle (700,000 residents).
"The person who died was a patient at Evergreen Hospital with underlying health conditions. He was a man in his 50s," said infectious disease specialist Dr. Jeffrey Duchin at a press conference. for the city of Seattle and King County.
The man was suffering from serious chronic illnesses and was a patient at risk, which is why the doctors decided to test him with Covid-19 after he manifested an unexplained respiratory infection, said Dr Francis Riedo of the Evergreen hospital where the victim died.
The victim is not the first American to succumb to the new coronavirus. A 60-year-old man, hospitalized in Wuhan (China), home of the infection, died on February 6.
King County health officials have also reported two new cases of coronavirus in a nursing home for the aged in Kirkland: an employee in her 40s and a 70-year-old resident who was hospitalized in serious condition.
"In addition, we have been informed of a number of people linked to this establishment who are reported to be suffering from respiratory symptoms or pneumonia," added Dr. Duchin. He announced that an epidemiological investigation was underway and called on the population to remain calm.
All these new cases concern people who have not traveled and have had no established contact with infected patients.
- Travel restrictions -
Donald Trump announced that he will meet with representatives of major pharmaceutical groups at the White House on Monday to discuss progress on a possible coronavirus vaccine.
The epidemic has already killed more than 2,900 people worldwide, the vast majority in China (2,835), and infected more than 85,000 people (more than 79,000 in China).
The American president once again defended his management of the epidemic. "Since the spread of the virus began, my government has taken the most proactive measures of the modern era to contain the spread of this disease," he said.
On February 2, the Trump administration barred access to U.S. territory for all non-U.S. travelers who have traveled to China in the two weeks before arriving in the U.S.
The president also said that 43 million protective masks were currently available in the United States.
Appointed coordinator of the fight against the coronavirus, the vice-president Mike Pence announced that the United States will prohibit the entry on the American territory to any non-American person having stayed in Iran in the two weeks preceding their arrival.
More than 500 cases and 43 confirmed deaths have been recorded in the territory of the Islamic Republic.
In addition, the American authorities ask their nationals not to go to certain areas of Italy and South Korea where there are important foci of the virus.
© 2020 AFP