Nueces County officials: First coronavirus case confirmed in county

The first COVID-19 coronavirus case has been confirmed by officials in Corpus Christi and Nueces County during a press conference on Saturday.

Mayor Joe McComb made the announcement at the city council chambers in Corpus Christi and said it was a male in between the ages of 45 to 55. He was in good condition and was quarantined.

The man is a Corpus Christi resident who traveled to Houston for a one-day business trip, where he's believed to have come in contact with the virus. His symptoms began with a headache and a fever before he was tested and immediately placed in a 14-day quarantine, said Annette Rodriguez, Nueces County Director of Public Health.

Officials said the man returned from Houston nine days ago, and began showing symptoms six days later. He's been quarantined for three days.

There are individuals who may have come into contact with the man. The health district is "contact tracing" to find those people and will monitor them once they are located, Rodriguez said.

The man also has been separated from his family for their safety.

More: Coronavirus Q&A: What Corpus Christi residents need to know about COVID-19

Dr. Srikanth Ramachandruni, an infectious disease specialist for the Local Health Authority, said the man is in good condition and is expected to recover.

"We are a unique situation in Nueces County with just one case so far and we want to keep it that way," Ramachandruni said.

Ramachandruni stressed the importance of social distancing. County Judge Barbara Canales urged people to stay informed, stay home and wash their hands.

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The 15 people tested for coronavirus on Friday had negative results. Ten others tested on Sunday were also negative.

Canales said testing would continue, adding the county was "fortunate" to have precautions that would turn up positive cases while ensuring safety.

"We knew this day would come," Canales said. "We planned for it and it's here. If you want to beat it like I know you do, we have to have you as a part of the solution."

CORONAVIRUS

Though there are now more than 300 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Texas.

Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of breath that may appear between two and 14 days after exposure to the illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Anyone who believes they have the virus should call the health district at 361-826-7200 for guidance. The city of Corpus Christi also has a website set up with more information that residents can access at http://www.cctexas.com/coronavirus.

On Thursday, Governor Greg Abbott ordered all Texas bars and restaurants closed to sit-down customers, shuttered schools statewide and restricted public gatherings to no more than 10 people. That order went into effect Saturday.

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