A Seattle-area person has died of complications after contracting the novel coronavirus strain - COVID 19, Washington state health officials announced on Saturday.
The US authorities now have issued elevated warnings against travel to Iran, Italy and South Korea, after the Seattle-area person became the first in the country to die after contracting coronavirus.
The Washington officials are yet to release details on the deceased coronavirus victim. The health officials are expected to hold a press conference later in the day to release more details on the age and identity of the first American coronavirus victim, KOMO-TV reported.
President Donald Trump held a press conference on Saturday afternoon during which he revealed that the person who died of COVID 19 was female in her 50s. President Donald Trump said in the press briefing that the coronavirus patient died overnight. He described the patient as a "medically high-risk patient" and said she was "a wonderful woman."
Vice President Mike Pence said the "average American does not need to go out and buy a mask," adding "we have more than 40 million masks available today."
"It is a sad day in our state as we learn that a Washingtonian has died from COVID-19. Our hearts go out to their family and friends. We will continue to work toward a day where no one dies from this virus," Washington Governor Jay Inslee said in an official statement.
"In partnership with the Washington State Department of Health, the Washington State Department of Emergency Management and local and community health partners, we are strengthening our preparedness and response efforts. I am committed to keeping Washingtonians healthy, safe and informed," Gov Inslee added.
So far, there have been 65 cases of the virus in the United States, in all these cases, the patients had traveled overseas or had come in contact with another patient infected with COVID 19.
The health officials, now are concerned as three new cases were detected on Friday, besides another one detected earlier in the week, in California, in which the cause was mysterious and unknown — a sign, experts warned, that the virus might now be spreading inside the US.
