CONCORD, N.H. (WHDH) - A New Hampshire hospital worker who has tested positive for the coronavirus is being kept in isolation, health officials announced Monday.
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The infected individual, a Grafton County resident who works at Dartmouth Hitchcock in Lebanon, recently traveled to Italy, according to Dr. Benjamin Chan, New Hampshire’s state epidemiologist. They are the first person in the state to test positive for the virus.
“This morning, we identified the first presumptive positive test result for COVID-19 in New Hampshire. This positive test is in an individual who traveled to Italy and developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19 within several days of travel. At this time, there is no evidence of more widespread community transmission in New Hampshire,” Chan said. “The State is conducting an investigation to determine potential exposure to other people in order to quickly isolate and test any additional people with suspect coronavirus.”
The patient is currently being isolated at their home and is not being treated at the hospital. Their specimen is being sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmatory testing.
Health officials are working to identify other people who may have come in contact with the patient. Any close contacts will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days following their last exposure so professionals can monitor for potential symptoms of the virus.
Three other Granite Staters were tested for the virus but results came back negative.
Anyone who has traveled to an area affected by the outbreak and feels sick with fever, cough or difficulty breathing is urged to seek immediate medical advice.
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There have been two confirmed cases of coronavirus in Rhode Island and one in Massachusetts.
More than 80,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported worldwide since the virus emerged in China in late 2019. About 3,000 people have died.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS for updates online and on-air.
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