EDITOR'S UPDATE : Nueces County and Corpus Christi city officials confirmed the first COVID-19 case in the county during a press conference on Saturday, March 21. This story was initially published March 19.

Corpus Christi is among three of the largest U.S. cities that has no confirmed cases of coronavirus.

The others are Fort Wayne, Indiana and Chesapeake, Viriginia, according to A-J Media’s research. Fort Wayne had a population of about 253,691, according to 2010 Census data. In 2018, the city had an estimated population of 267,633.

In 2010, Chesapeake had a population of about 222,209, according to Census data. In 2018, the city had an estimated population of 242,634.

The Lubbock news organization researched the 100 largest U.S. cities and looked at how many of those cities had no confirmed coronavirus cases.

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Corpus Christi, with a population of 305,000, is the 54th largest city in the U.S.

How many have been tested?

As of Thursday, March 19, Corpus Christi and Nueces County had no confirmed cases. But residents shouldn't take the news lightly. Several people have been tested over the past few days and while so far results have come back negative including for a Driscoll Children's Hospital staffer. But results for several more area residents are still pending and it could be days before it's clear whether they have COVID-19.

At least 10 were tested on Sunday and on Thursday - the first day the drive-thru testing site opened in Corpus Christi - another 16 people were scheduled to be tested who had shown symptoms consistent with the virus, Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales said.

COVID-19:Drive-thru coronavirus testing starts at old Christus Spohn Memorial in Corpus Christi

The Caller-Times has repeatedly reached out to local health district officials for daily tallies of the number of people tested, their results and the length of wait time for results.

The number of people who have received testing through referrals from their doctors to private testing facilities also isn't immediately clear. However, a presumptive positive case would be reported to the local health district and CDC for confirmation.

CDC officials also caution that people should not disregard warnings on social distancing, given that data suggests seemingly healthy people without symptoms can still be carrying and spreading COVID-19.

Caller-Times reporter Ashlee Burns and reporting from Sarah Self-Walbrick with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal contributed to this story.

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