ST. LOUIS, MO — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced that the first case of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, has been confirmed in St. Louis County.

At a joint press conference with the governor and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page Saturday night, officials said a woman in her 20s tested positive for the virus after returning from studying abroad in Italy earlier this week. Officials said the woman attends an out-of-state college. She is being quarantined at home, along with her parents. Health officials are working to identify anyone who has had contact with the woman. Officials say the test has yet to be verified by the CDC.

To date, officials say the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has tested 26 individuals for COVID-19, including the case announced Saturday. Three additional tests remain in progress. "We understand that there is serious concern about this virus and the potential escalation surrounding positive cases in our community," said Spring Schmidt, co-director of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health. "Our Department, local public health and local public safety agencies are working closely with state and federal agencies to quickly identify and respond to cases that might occur. We can't stress the importance of taking protective measures enough."



Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called SARS-Cov-2, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19, the illness caused by SARS-Cov-2, struck the U.S. on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now being spread from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 and no antiviral treatment.