The first confirmed case of the new coronavirus in East Texas was confirmed Tuesday in Gregg County.

The announcement by the Northeast Texas Public Health District comes following a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmation of COVID-19 in a patient who recently traveled within the continental U.S.

Gregg County includes a large western portion of the city of Longview and part of Kilgore, east of Tyler.

The patient is in self-isolation at home with mild symptoms.

Health officials said the risk of transmission in Gregg County remains low because there is no evidence suggesting the virus was community spread.

Health care providers and epidemiologists are in contact with the patient as well as anyone the person has contacted.

Longview is about 130 miles east of Dallas.