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Nassau County Coronavirus Test Comes Back Negative

A person feared to have a case of coronavirus who made a pitstop on Long Island has tested negative, officials announced.

A case of potential coronavirus in Nassau County tested negative.

A case of potential coronavirus in Nassau County tested negative.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday, Jan. 26 that 14 people have been identified for testing for the virus, with nine coming up negative, and five still pending. There have been no confirmed cases in New York as of Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Late on Monday, Jan. 27, officials announced that a case from someone who “passed through” Nassau County has tested negative, though there are still other cases pending testing by the Centers for Disease Control.  

The coronavirus has been linked to more than 100 deaths in China and has infected more than 2,700. There have been five confirmed cases, but no fatalities in the United States, according to the CDC. Sixteen countries have confirmed cases of the virus. No cases have been reported in Suffolk County.

“As we learn about the first confirmed cases of this novel coronavirus in the United States and potentially in New York, I want to assure New Yorkers that we are prepared,” Cuomo said. “We are undertaking a wide-reaching and rigorous effort with all stakeholders, including healthcare providers, airports and federal health officials, to put in place the appropriate precautions to keep New Yorkers safe."

According to the New York State Department of Health (DOH), Chinese authorities report most patients in the Wuhan City outbreak have been epidemiologically linked to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting a possible zoonotic origin to the outbreak. Chinese authorities additionally report that they are monitoring several hundred healthcare workers who are caring for outbreak patients; no spread of this virus from patients to healthcare personnel has been reported to date.

According to Cuomo, with travelers expected to begin returning to the country this week from Lunar New Year celebrations in China, the New York State Department of Health has begun working with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to post multilingual signage about the virus at all four Port Authority international airports.

Last week the DOH issued guidance to healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, clinical laboratories and local health departments providing updated information about the outbreak, and ensuring protocols are in place if a patient is experiencing symptoms consistent with the novel coronavirus, had a travel history to Wuhan, China, where the novel coronavirus originated.

There is currently no vaccine for the coronavirus, though health officials said that “everyday preventative actions can help stop the spread of the virus, including washing hands, avoiding contact with people who are sick and frequently cleaning or disinfecting objects and surfaces.

Health officials noted that "since this virus is very new, health authorities continue to carefully watch how this virus spreads. It is probably spread from animals to humans, and it also may be spread from person to person. It's not clear yet how easily novel coronavirus spreads from person-to-person. It's important to know this in order to better understand the risk associated with this virus."

Symptoms of the novel coronavirus may include:

  • Runny nose;
  • Headache;
  • Cough;
  • Sore throat;
  • Fever.

New York State Health Commissioner. Howard Zucker said, "We encourage all New Yorkers to take normal precautions against sickness, such as regular hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. We will continue to work with our partners at the CDC and are prepared to assist in any way necessary to ensure the health of New Yorkers."

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