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Published Friday, March 6,
2020 at 12:20 p.m.
Breaking:
Two U.S. citizens confirmedas new suspected cases of coronavirus By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The Ministry of Health confirmed today, two new suspected cases of coronavirus Covid-19 are in the country. According to the ministry, the patients are two U.S. citizens, a woman and her husband, both 49. They arrived in Costa Rica Sunday at Juan Santamaria Airport in Alajuela. Now they are quarantined in a hotel in San José. The woman was in contact with a coronavirus covid-19 patient in New York before arriving at the country, said the authorities. Then, they reported to the U.S. Embassy about the symptoms. The cases were classified as suspicious after the medical test of another type of respiratory virus was negative. Now, health authorities are dealing with a total of four suspected coronavirus sufferers. The first two cases are two women relatives. One was identified as the aunt, 52, and the second is her niece, 47. The aunt lives in Pococi, Limón Province. Her niece is living in Heredia Province. Both are quarantined in their homes. Both women traveled together to Tunisia and Italy. They arrived in Costa Rica on Saturday at Juan Santamaria Airport from Italy. However, according to the authorities, they had no symptoms that matched the virus at the moment of entry to the country. Both women presented symptoms Tuesday. The ministry continues to search for the remaining persons on that flight. There were 157 passengers plus the plane crew. The cases were classified as suspicious after the medical test of another type of respiratory virus was negative. In other words, health workers have ruled out that the symptoms are due to another type of respiratory virus. The specialists are attending to the patients and performing medical tests to confirm or rule out if it is the first case of coronavirus in the country. Test results are expected to be announced later today. According to the ministry, the women are stable in health, so, if the result of the tests yields the confirmation of carrying the virus, the patients will remain in strict isolation, monitoring and control at home. Women relatives living in the same homes do not have any symptoms associated with a respiratory virus. However, all the family members will also remain in quarantine in their house, said authorities. The ministry said that these persons are not linked to a person who had medical exams done last week after she also came from a flight from Italy and presented symptoms of the virus. On that case, coronavirus was ruled out after a medical test was performed. According to medical authorities, four types of coronaviruses are common: human coronavirus 229E, human coronavirus OC43, human coronavirus NL63 and human coronavirus HKU 1. Also, there are other common respiratory viruses. "The country has been preparing for this moment for several weeks with the goal of safeguard public health through an coordinated work among several institutions," said the Health Ministry in its statement.  In February the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on the evacuation of two Costa Ricans from the City of Wuhan in China that took place with the help of the government of Ukraine. The Ukrainian government confirmed that the two women, surnamed Reyes-Pérez and Torres-Pérez remain in quarantine before a trip to Costa Rica can be authorized. The date when both women will arrive in the country is expected to be announced next week.  According to the most current information from the World Health Organization today, 101,728 coronavirus cases have been reported around the world, and 3,461 patients died. In the America Continent cases were confirmed in Ecuador, Chile, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Dominican Republic and Argentina, and the United States. ----------------------- Are you taking precautionary measures to avoid catching the coronavirus? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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