VALPARAISO — Testing by the Centers for Disease Control has determined that a person who needed medical attention in northern Indiana does not have the coronavirus.
Results from the CDC were announced Friday by the Porter County Health Department.
According to Porter County Health Officer Dr. Maria Stamp, a person traveling through the area sought medical attention on January 27. Based on the individual's travel history and physical symptoms, the health department and CDC felt the person could have the virus.
The individual was hospitalized and put into isolation while tests were run. Those tests turned out negative, said Stamp, and the person was released from the hospital Friday.
"The successful handling of this situation is attributable to the collaboration with local, state and federal agencies charged with preserving and protecting public health and safety," said Stamp.
While there is a feeling of relief in Porter County, around the world there is growing concern about the coronavirus.
The Associated Press reports the U.S. has advised against all travel to China as the number of coronavirus has risen more than tenfold in a week, including the highest death toll in a 24-hour period.
The virus has infected almost 10,000 people globally in just two months, a worrying sign of its spread among people that prompted the World Health Organization to declare the outbreak a global emergency.
Hours after the State Department issued its level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines announced Friday that they will suspend all flights between the U.S. and China, joining several international carriers that have stopped flying to China as the virus outbreak continues to spread.
