Coronavirus patient from cruise ship brought to San Francisco hospital

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. According to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, a wide share of Americans are at least moderately confident in U.S. health officials’ ability to handle emerging viruses, and more express concern about catching the flu than catching the new coronavirus. less This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, ... more Photo: Associated Press Photo: Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Coronavirus patient from cruise ship brought to San Francisco hospital 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The San Francisco Department of Public Health said Thursday a person who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) is being treated at a San Francisco hospital.

The unnamed patient was part of a group evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan and then brought to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield. The cruise ship experienced an outbreak of the pneumonia-like virus.

The individual had no symptoms but tested positive for the virus in Japan and was then quarantined at the air force base. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol for federally quarantined patients requires hospitalization for those who test positive overseas or in the U.S., even if they do not have symptoms.

Public health officials aren't releasing the name of the hospital or the name of the patient to protect the patient's privacy.

Precautions are being taken by the hospital to keep patients and staff safe.

Earlier this month, a San Francisco hospital treated two people with new coronavirus from San Benito County. The pair has since been discharged in good health and is no longer in the city, San Francisco officials said.

Public health officials said there is a low risk that a resident will get the virus. The risk depends on a person's travel history rather than culture, race or ethnicity.

Public health officials said no evidence exists of the virus spreading in the city.

The latest information on the virus can be found at www.sfdph.org or at www.sf72.org.

Bay City News contributed to this story.

Amy Graff is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.