Coronavirus In NYC: Health Care Worker Tests Positive After Returning From Iran, Husband Awaiting Results

By CNN

Published March 2, 2020 12:08 PM

NEW YORK, NY (WCBS) — A 39-year-old woman is isolated inside her Manhattan home after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said she is a health care worker who returned Tuesday from Iran.

She was not believed to be contagious on the flight and took a private car home, instead of public transportation.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we will be contacting the people who were on the flight with her from Iran to New York and the driver of that car service,” the governor said.

Cuomo said the woman developed respiratory symptoms but otherwise described her condition as “mild.”

She was traveling with her husband, who is also a health care worker.

“We are assuming that he would be positive, given the circumstances,” said the governor.

He is currently isolated and undergoing testing, as well.

CBS2’s Reena Roy asked Cuomo why the couple isn’t being held in a more formal institution.

“Because she doesn’t need a hospital, and that is the point here,” he said. “Somebody used an expression, ‘this is like the flu on steroids.’ Eighty percent of the people, when infected with the coronavirus, will self-treat and self-resolve.”

The governor said because of the woman’s professional background, she was extra cautious.

“She did – textbook – everything right. Her spouse, also a health care worker was with her, again, textbook, everything right,” he said.

Cuomo also called the CDC’s decision to let the state test for the virus “a very big deal” that “will have a dramatic effect on how quickly we can mobilize and respond.”

“We said early on, it wasn’t a question of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ This is New York, we’re a gateway to the world. You see all these cases around the world, around the country – of course, we’re going to have it here,” he said. “That’s why the whole challenge is about containment of the number of people who become exposed and who become infected.”

The governor said the state will spend $40 million on additional health care staff and supplies, implement new cleaning protocols in schools and on public transportation, and focus on facilities that deal with senior citizens and vulnerable communities.

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Article Topic Follows: Regional News

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