#14,815
While health officials have been on the lookout for travelers returning from Mainland China showing signs of fever or respiratory infections for several weeks, over the past few days we've seen signs of travelers who have visited other countries (but not China) returning home with the novel coronavirus (see South Korea Reports Imported Coronavirus Case (ex Thailand).
These cases are harder for clinicians to pick up because their itinerary is less suggestive of a novel coronavirus exposure.The latest instance comes from Taiwan, which today reports three confirmed cases. First a husband and wife who recently returned from Italy, via Hong Kong, and a woman who traveled with 3 family members to Macao in late January.
Command Center announces 3 confirmed cases, all in isolation and under treatment
Release Date: 2020-02-06
The Central Epidemic Epidemic Command Center announced tonight (6) that three new cases of severe special infectious pneumonia abroad (hereinafter referred to as cases 1, 2, and 3) were reported in China. Females in their 50s, both of whom are husband and wife.
They transferred to Hong Kong from Italy on January 22 with two other family members, and returned to Taiwan from Hong Kong on February 1.
The two had coughs on January 26 and 28, respectively. Case 1 had fever symptoms upon returning to China. He went to the clinic to diagnose a cold on the same day. Because the symptoms did not improve, he went to the doctor again on February 4 and was examined. Reported for pneumonia; Case 2 had no fever at the time of entry. He was diagnosed with a common cold when he sought medical treatment on February 3. Since his husband had notified him on the 4th, the hospital advised him to take a report together and both were confirmed by inspection. He is infected with the new coronavirus and is currently hospitalized and isolated; his family members are undoubtedly symptomatic.
Case 3 was a female in her 40s in the south. She traveled to Macau with three other family members from January 21 to 24. Case 1 showed fever, chills, sore throat, runny nose, and walking wheezing on the 3rd. The examination did not meet the notification conditions at the time of medical treatment. Therefore, he returned home after seeking medical treatment. Due to the persistence of symptoms, the case was treated again in the negative pressure isolation ward on the 5th and collected for inspection. The diagnosis was confirmed by inspection. At present, the patient's condition is stable and ongoing treatment.
As of today, there are 16 confirmed cases in China. As of 4:00 pm on February 6, a total of 21 cases of severe special infectious pneumonia have been reported in China. So far, a total of 1,307 cases have been reported, including 16 confirmed diagnoses, 1,166 exclusions, and 82 initial cases. The test is negative and the rest are still pending.
It is not entirely clear where the first couple was exposed, although the long flight between Italy & Hong Kong could have afforded the opportunity, as could have their stay in Hong Kong.
As small pockets of community transmission increase around the world, these sorts of cases are only likely to increase.
