First Bay Area Case of Coronavirus Confirmed in Santa Clara County

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed an adult male resident of Santa Clara County has tested positive for the coronavirus, county public health officials announced on Friday. It’s the first such case in the Bay Area.

The man had recently traveled to Wuhan, China — the source of the global outbreak — and became ill after returning home, officials said in a press release. He has largely been isolated at home since he returned to San Jose International Airport on Jan. 24 and only left his home twice to seek outpatient medical care after he began experiencing symptoms.

The outbreak that originated in Wuhan has infected more than 9,800 people globally as of Friday. The World Health Organization declared it a global health emergency on Thursday.

The new case marks the seventh in the U.S. and the third in California — the other two were confirmed in Los Angeles and Orange counties. All infected people in the U.S. except one recently traveled to Wuhan.

Health officials with Santa Clara County, California and the CDC are now conducting a public health investigation to identify the people the man came into contact with since he returned to the U.S.

That includes people he interacted with while traveling, medical staff and the “very few” people in his household, officials said. Anyone who has been exposed will be contacted by an investigation team member, monitored for symptoms and instructed to stay home.

“We understand that this news may be concerning, but based on what we know today, the risk to residents of our community remains low,” said Dr. Sara Cody, a Santa Clara County health officer. “This news is not unexpected. Santa Clara County has the largest population in the Bay Area, and many of our residents travel for both personal and business reasons.”

Cody said the patient had been to Wuhan and Shanghai, but said he is believed to have contracted the virus in Wuhan.

The county has been preparing for weeks, and officials weren’t surprised to have the first Bay Area case of the virus, Cody said. But public risk remains low, since the man has remained mostly isolated.

“This one case in fact does not change the risk for the general public,” Cody said. “Although we are announcing a confirmed case today … please know that we do not have evidence to suggest that the novel coronavirus is circulating in the Bay Area, in Santa Clara County or really in Northern California.”

Cody said residents remain far more likely to become ill from the flu, which she noted kills an average of 36,000 Americans every year.

“If you’re sick, stay home, stay away from others,” Cody said. You should cough and sneeze into your elbow, wash your hands frequently, get the flu shot and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, she added.