Deadly Coronavirus: 2 Suspected Cases In Minnesota

MINNESOTA — The Minnesota Department of Health says there are two suspected cases of the potentially deadly Wuhan coronavirus in Minnesota. No cases have been confirmed in the state yet.

Samples have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing. The two individuals are currently being isolated at home.

Nationwide, health officials are now monitoring two confirmed cases in the United States and 63 potential cases in 22 states connected to the growing outbreak in China.

A Chicago patient confirmed with the disease is in her 60s and is in stable condition, Dr. Nancy Messonnier said during a CDC conference call Friday morning. Messonnier is director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

The woman reportedly traveled to Wuhan, China, in late December and flew back to Chicago on Jan. 13. She called a health care provider after experiencing symptoms a few days later, the CDC said.

The woman was admitted to a hospital, where measures were taken to reduce the risk of transmission to other people. Health officials said she remained hospitalized Friday in an isolation room and was in stable condition.

The CDC said the Chicago woman has limited close contacts, who are being monitored for symptoms but are all currently well. "Since returning from China, the patient has had very limited movement outside the home," according to the CDC.

She's the second patient in the U.S. to be diagnosed with the illness, which authorities said is responsible for at least 26 deaths in China. Worldwide, 830 cases have been reported. On Tuesday, a man in Washington state was confirmed to be the first patient in the United States to be diagnosed with the illness.

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What is coronavirus?

According to the CDC, coronaviruses are part of a large family of viruses that cause illnesses both in humans and animals. In rare cases, animal coronaviruses can evolve to infect people. The new virus is officially referred to as "2019 novel coronavirus" or "2019-nCoV."

Coronaviruses are responsible for illnesses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

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Researchers around the globe are still determining precisely how the virus spreads. Many patients in the Wuhan outbreak had visited a large seafood and animal market, but a growing number of patients have no connection. The CDC said that indicates limited person-to-person transmission is possible — but it remains unknown how easily it spreads among people. Illnesses have been confirmed outside of China in Thailand, Japan and South Korea, as well as now two cases in the United States.

Coronavirus symptoms

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.

Shannon Antinori, Patch Staff, contributed to this report