BOSTON (WHDH) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh said the public did not find out about Boston’s first confirmed case of coronavirus because officials wanted to be sure of the diagnosis — but said more information needs to be available about the patient’s whereabouts before they were diagnosed.
“That’s important to get out to the community, it’s important to get all information to the public out right away because the public is going to be concerned,” Walsh said. “They’re going to be concerned, ‘Did I come into contact with someone with coronavirus?'”
There are 11 confirmed cases of the potentially deadly virus in the U.S., including a UMass Boston student in his 20s. The student flew in to Boston after visiting Wuhan, China last Tuesday and went to the doctor on Wednesday.
The student has been at home in isolation, officials said. Test results confirmed the coronavirus on Friday and the public was alerted Saturday.
Walsh said the delay was to make certain of the diagnosis.
“As soon as we get a positive test we will get the information out as soon as possible,” Walsh said. “We’re not going to put fear in the pubic if we don’t confirm a case.”
Gov. Charlie Baker said that because Logan Airport is no longer allowing flights from China, per a U.S. travel ban, it is not routinely screening passengers.
“If someone shows up from Hong Kong who’s deemed to be a person of interest, they would be [screened], but generally speaking mainland China is where most of the concern comes from,” Baker said.
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