SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — Health officials have confirmed that a new coronavirus case of unknown origin has been diagnosed in Solano County. An official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the diagnosis late Wednesday afternoon. The patient is receiving medical care at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, UC Davis officials said Wednesday night. The California Department of Public Health then confirmed the individual is a resident of Solano County.

UC Davis Medical Center said the patient was transferred there from another Northern California hospital on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Upon arrival, the patient had already been intubated, was on a ventilator and was given droplet protection orders because of an “undiagnosed and suspected viral condition.”

The patient tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The patient wasn’t immediately tested for COVID-19 because the patient “did not fit the existing CDC criteria,” the UC Davis memo said. “UC Davis Health does not control the testing process,” it continued.

UC Davis infectious disease expert Dr. Dean Blumberg says that the testing for the virus is limited right now. “We’d like to have more widespread testing so we know where this virus is, who is sick and who is at risk,” said Dr. Blumberg.

This is the first case in the state not associated with the Diamond Princess cruise ship or with someone who had returned to Northern California from visiting China.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

The new case is also the first sign of the virus possibly spreading in a local community outside of cases that have been under quarantine. It’s the possible first case of person-to-person transmission of the novel virus in the country among the general public.

“There are probably other cases out there in the community that we don’t know about,” said Blumberg. He says this one patient getting sick means the disease may be spreading in the Bay Area.

“We have other cases that are currently circulating in the community and that anybody can get it,” says Dr. Blumberg.

“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown,” a press release from the CDC read. “It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States. Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”

The CDC said the case “was detected through the U.S. public health system — picked up by astute clinicians.”

UC Davis says out of an abundance of caution, a handful of employees who cared for the patient will stay home to see if they get sick.

The new case brings the total number of coronavirus cases in the United States to 15.

California congressman John Garamendi, who represents the state’s District 3 that includes Sacramento County, said he’s aware of the patient being treated. “I am in close contact with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the State of California and will pass along any updates as they become available,” he said in a tweet.

“We all have the responsibility to protect ourselves and others by washing our hands and carrying out procedures to avoid infecting ourselves and others. Please monitor CDC’s website and Facebook for further information,” he added.

Wednesday afternoon, President Trump made a rare appearance in the White House briefing room to announce VP Mike Pence will lead the country’s cornonavirus task force.

“Because of all we’ve done, the risk to the American people remains very low,” the President said.

A Senior White House official tells CBS the President is taking over messaging to prevent the stock market from falling as concerns over the coronavirus outbreak have seriously impacted global markets over the past few days.

Since Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped more than 2,000 points. Dow futures fell 53 point, indicating a loss of 74 points that will kick off Thursday’s opening bell.

Health experts question whether downplaying the risk is the right approach to take with a virus that has spread so rapidly in other countries.

“Nobody here has been exposed to it. That means we are all susceptible to it. That means if you do get a significant exposure, we will get infected. There’s really not a question of that,” says Dr. Blumberg.

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