Growing Concern About How To Stop Coronavirus Outbreak From Spreading As Health Officials Scramble To Contain It
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The coronavirus outbreak is causing widespread disruption to businesses and there is growing concern about how to stop it from spreading. Health officials are scrambling to test for the virus and contain it. This comes as New Jersey is waiting for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm a test that appears to be positive.
The patient is a 32-year-old man from Fort Lee, Bergen County. He's being treated at a Bergen County hospital and officials are tracing his contacts and taking appropriate public health actions.
The presumptive case of coronavirus in New Jersey is included in the mounting number of cases now at 153, with 11 deaths.
In New York, several schools have closed after an outbreak in Westchester County linked to coronavirus patient Lawrence Garbuz, who is recovering.
Doctors say the 50-year-old has spread the virus to nine other people, including three members of his own family, his neighbor and another family.
"We're now playing this game, 'Oh, one here, one here, one here, whack-a-mole.' It is going to be dozens and dozens and dozens," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
In Los Angeles County, there are now six confirmed cases, including a medical screener at Los Angeles International Airport.
"The potential of public health risk is elevated and significant," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "We expect to see more cases as we announced here today."
The first coronavirus death in California prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency.
"We have accordingly, with this new ICU patient that passed away, entered into this next phase," Newsom said.
In Washington state, where a tenth person died at a nursing home, an old Econolodge Motel will be turned into a quarantine facility. Warnings are also going out to the public in King County.
"For older people and for those who are pregnant, we are recommending that we stay home and avoid large gatherings as much as possible," King County Executive Dow Constantine said.
New Jersey's acting governor has called a press conference for 2:30 p.m. today.
