Possible Coronavirus Exposure In DuPage County: Report

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL — DuPage County health department officials are reaching out to residents who may have had contact with a Chicago woman who contracted a deadly new coronavirus. Health officials told NBC that they are "identifying, assessing and monitoring people who have been exposed to prevent onward transmission."

Chicago Woman Contracts Coronavirus

The Chicago woman's diagnosis marked the 2nd confirmed case of the new coronavirus in the United States. The patient, a woman in her 60s, traveled to Wuhan, China, in late December and returned to the U.S. Jan. 13. She began experiencing symptoms a few days later, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The woman has remained hospitalized since Friday and has had "very limited movement outside the home" since returning from China, the CDC said.

Patient's Husband Contracts Coronavirus

The CDC announced Thursday that the patient's husband had contracted coronavirus from her, marking the the first case of the virus spreading from person to person in the U.S.

Potential Contacts In DuPage County

According to ABC, "Health officials with DuPage County said people who may have been exposed to the Chicago woman diagnosed with the virus have not shown any symptoms so far." Officials say they continue to investigate reports of possible exposure.

DuPage County Health Department executive director Karen Ayala told NBC the number of people who may have had contact with the patient is relatively small. Ayala said, "In a county of a million, it's a very small amount of folks."

At press time, no cases of the new coronavirus had been confirmed in DuPage County. Ayala told ABC7 that while the virus is currently contained, "This is a new and rapidly changing situation. We expect there may be more cases and more individuals to follow up with in the coming weeks."

She told NBC, "It can be a point of concern but we are not considering it to be a point of panic or alarm," and the "general population is at low risk."

What Is Coronavirus?

According to the CDC, the 2019 novel coronavirus is part of a large family of viruses that cause illnesses both in humans and animals.

Coronavirus can lead to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

The CDC says person-to-person transmission of coronavirus is possible, but it is unclear how easily the virus can spread.

Coronavirus Symptoms

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, common human coronaviruses usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory illnesses, like the common cold. These illnesses typically only last for a short time.

Symptoms may include:

• runny nose
• headache
• cough
• sore throat
• fever
• a general feeling of being unwell

Coronaviruses can also sometimes cause lower-respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia or bronchitis.
The illness can spread through:

• the air by coughing and sneezing
• close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
• touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands
• rarely, fecal contamination

There are currently no vaccines to prevent coronavirus, but IDPH offers these tips for preventing the spread of the illness:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.