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1st Person-To-Person Spread Of Coronavirus Has Occurred In U.S., CDC Says
January 30, 202012:58 PM ET
Updated at 1:10 p.m. ET
The first human-to-human transmission of the deadly Wuhan coronavirus has occurred in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday.
The respiratory virus was spread from a woman who had recently traveled to China and gave it to her husband when she returned to Chicago, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said.
It's the sixth confirmed case of the new coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, in the U.S.
In addition to Illinois, other cases have been confirmed in California, Arizona, and Washington state. Worldwide, the Wuhan coronavirus has spread to at least 20 countries since it was identified last month, the CDC says.
Illinois health officials are currently investigating 21 other possible cases in the state. The CDC says the relatively few people who have been identified as close contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus infections should follow the guidance of their doctors and health departments.
The CDC says members of the public do not need to wear masks out of concern for the coronavirus.