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Washington Man is 1st in US to Catch New Virus From China

Associated Press

   SEATTLE - The U.S. on Tuesday reported its first case of a new and
   potentially deadly virus circulating in China, saying a Washington
   state resident who returned last week from the outbreak's epicenter was
   hospitalized near Seattle.

   The man, identified only as a Snohomish County resident is in his 30s,
   was in good condition and wasn't considered a threat to medical staff
   or the public, health officials said.

   U.S. health officials stressed that they believe the virus' overall
   risk to the American public remained low.

   The newly discovered virus has infected about 300 people, all of whom
   had been in China, and killed six. The virus can cause coughing, fever,
   breathing difficulty and pneumonia. The U.S. joins a growing list of
   places outside mainland China reporting cases, following Thailand,
   Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

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