Chicago Man With Coronavirus Traveled To Cleveland In Mid January, But Was Not Symptomatic
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The second patient diagnosed with coronavirus in Chicago traveled to Cleveland for business earlier this month.
He traveled to Clevelend for a day trip on Jan. 14, and didn't show any symptoms, Ohio health officials said.
His wife, who first contracted the virus last week, had returned from Wuhan, China the day before. The CDC announced Thursday the woman transmitted it to her husband, the first person-to-person transmission.
ODH, CDC, CCBH determined that the sixth U.S. confirmed coronavirus case was not infectious during his day trip to Cleveland. It is important to remember the U.S is still low risk for nCoV. There are no additional PUIs related to this case in OH.
— Ohio Dept of Health (@OHdeptofhealth) January 31, 2020
The man works in the downtown Chicago office for Pirhl, a home construction company. It is not known how he traveled to Cleveland.
In a statement, the company said they were told Thursday that "an employee based in Chicago may have contracted novel coronavirus."
"PIRHL is working with the appropriate health officials to provide all requested information to clarify who this individual may have come into contact with. The priority at this time is providing relevant information to authorities and ensuring the health and safety of employees."
On Thursday, Illinois heath officials said the man had not taken public transportation and had not attended large gatherings. It is unclear whether he went to work after his wife became sick late last week.
The man began to feel ill on Tuesday and was hospitalized, officials said.
He did not travel to China. He was already being monitored and tested after his wife came down with the virus, officials said.
"This development is something we have been prepared for," Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said Thursday. "It's not totally unexpected because the new patient had close contact with his wife, since she returned from China," said Arwady, who added that the woman is doing well.
According to the CDC, it takes between two and 14 days to develop the coronavirus. Arwady said the new patient has been "extremely helpful" in providing information about his condition, symptoms and who he had been in contact with.
According to Arwady, he has not taken public transportation and he gets around in his car. The man has also not attended large gatherings. Health officials did not say publicly Thursday that the man had traveled to Cleveland.