Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WMUR'S MIKE JOINS US LIVE FROM CONCORD WITH WHAT WE'RE LEARNING. >> SEVERAL NEW DETAILS COMING OUT JUST WITHIN THE LAST HOUR OR SO. THE HOSPITAL IN LITTLETON SAYS ITS PATIENT IS A TEENAGER AND THAT HE TRAVELED TO CHINA IN DECEMBER RETURNING HOME THREE WEEKS AGO. SYMPTOMS DIDN'T SHOW UNTIL AFTER COMING BACK. >> RIGHT NOW, TWO PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE BEING TESTED FOR THE CORONAVIRUS, WHICH IN CHINA HAS NOW KILLED MORE THAN A HUNDRED. INFECTED 4,500. WE HAVE A PATIENT UNDER SUSPICION OF THAT VIRUS. >> LITTLETON REGIONAL HEALTHCARE MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT TONIGHT. IT SAYS THE PATIENT IS A STUDENT AT WHITE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL IN BETHLEHEM AND RETURNED TO THE U.S. FROM CHINA ON JANUARY 6. >> ON A THURSDAY, WE ADMITTED A 19-YEAR-OLD PATIENT FROM AN OUTSIDE HEALTH FACILITY WITH MILD RESPIRATORY ILLNESS. >> THE HOSPITAL SAYS HE'S ISOLATED IN A NEGATIVE PRESSURE ROOM. IS SYMPTOM-FREE AND IS BORED. >> THE PATIENT IS DOING WONDERFULLY. HE'S WONDERING WHEN THE HECK HE CAN GET OUT OF HERE, BUT AGAIN, WE'LL GET THE TESTING RESULTS. >> THAT MAN AND ANOTHER PERSON ARE WAITING FOR THE CDC TEST RESULTS TO DETERMINE IF THEY HAVE CORONAVIRUS. STATE HEALTH LEADERS SAY THEY WERE IN WUHAN CITY, CHINA, THE CDC HAS DISCOVERED FIVE CASES IN THE U.S. AND IS TESTING MORE THAN A HUNDRED AMERICANS. >> PEOPLE CAN CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, POSTPONING NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL TO OTHER AREAS OF CHINA AS WELL, UNTIL WE REALLY FURTHER UNDERSTAND THE RISKS OF THIS NEW VIRUS. >> THE HOSPITAL IN LITTLETON SAYS TEST RESULTS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE BY TOMORROW. >> THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO THREAT TO THE COMMUNITY WHATSOEVER FROM THIS PATIENT. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO THREAT WHATSOEVER TO OUR STAFF OR VISITORS, AND CERTAINLY OUR STAFF FROM THIS PATIENT. >> CORONAVIRUS CAN BE SPREAD PERSON-TO-PERSON BUT RIGHT NOW THERE ARE NO VACCINES FOR IT. WE'LL HAVE THOSE TEST RESULTS ON THE TWO PATIENTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE JUST AS SOON AS

Advertisement 2 people in NH isolated, undergoing testing for novel coronavirus Health officials say 2 developed symptoms after recent travel to Wuhan City Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Two people in New Hampshire recently traveled to the Chinese city at the center of the deadly coronavirus outbreak and are being monitored, health officials said.>> Download the FREE WMUR appA spokeswoman for Littleton Regional Healthcare has confirmed to WMUR that the hospital is treating one of the two patients in New Hampshire being tested for coronavirus.In a post to Facebook, Littleton Regional Healthcare announced the patient they are treating is a student from White Mountain School in Bethlehem. According to the post, the student had traveled to China in December and returned to the U.S. on Jan 6. 2020.The spokeswoman said the patient is being treated in a negative pressure room and that all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines are being followed in the patient's care and to protect other patients.Officials with the state Department of Health and Human Services said the two developed respiratory symptoms and are undergoing testing for novel coronavirus, which has sickened thousands and killed at least 80 people in China.Health officials said the two people have mild symptoms but are remaining isolated until test results are available. Officials said samples have been sent to the CDC for testing.Officials said if the tests come back positive, they will share that information with the public.State epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said more information will be released if the tests show they have the virus. "The risk to our communities in New Hampshire is low, but we want to identify people who may be infected with this new coronavirus in order to prevent spread," Chan said. "We have recommended that health care providers conduct travel screenings and implement isolation practices for patients with a fever or respiratory illness who report travel to this affected region of China. This is a rapidly changing situation, and we remain committed to providing timely updates to residents of New Hampshire and our health care providers."Five coronavirus infections have been confirmed in four U.S. states, officials said. More than 100 other people in the U.S. have been tested.Reported symptoms of novel coronavirus include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. There are no vaccines available to protect against infection. Health officials said it's still unknown how easily the virus spreads, but it has been confirmed to spread person to person.The CDC recommends taking precautionary measures similar to those for flu prevention, including frequent hand-washing with soap and water, avoiding sick people, staying home if you are sick, covering your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that might be contaminated with germs.Those steps can help prevent infection from many different viruses circulating this time of year.