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A California man who died of the novel coronavirus brought it on board the Grand Princess, a cruise ship official said Saturday, suggesting the virus has been in the state much longer than originally believed.

Dr. Grant Tarling, the cruise’s medical officer, said the man — who later died in Placer County after leaving the cruise — sought medical care on the ship Feb. 20 and had been sick for several days. Tarling said two waiters who served the man multiple times were subsequently infected.

The news is a revelation that could mean the virus has been circulating in California longer than authorities have previously disclosed, Tarling said.

“In order to protect patient confidentiality, we cannot provide information about specific cases such as this,” the California Department of Public Health said in a statement. Placer County officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Read the full story at LATimes.com.