Coronavirus Confirmed In RivCo Resident Evacuated From Ship

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A Riverside County resident who was evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan has tested positive for the coronavirus and is being treated in Northern California, county health officials said Tuesday.

The patient was not identified, and health officials said the person "is expected to fully recover."

Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County's public health officer, said the patient is being closely monitored and there are no indications of any exposures in Riverside County.

There are no confirmed cases of the virus in Riverside County.

The coronavirus, known as COVID-19, originated in China. The illness has killed more than 2,600 people, the vast majority of them in China. More than 80,000 cases have been reported.

On Tuesday, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention announced the coronavirus is on its way to possibly becoming a pandemic and is likely to spread in the United States where residents should prepare for disruption of daily life.

"It's not so much of a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more of a question of exactly when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illness," said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. "I understand this whole situation may seem overwhelming and that disruption to everyday life may be severe, but these are things that people need to start thinking about now."

—City News Service contributed to this report.