A patient in New York state has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the first confirmed case in the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday.

The novel coronavirus –– also known as COVID-19 –– is a respiratory disease experts believe originated in Wuhan, China. It has spread to at least 59 countries, infecting over 89,000 people and killing more than 3,000.

The patient, a woman in her late 30s, is isolated in her home, Cuomo said in a statement. She contracted the virus while traveling in Iran, he said.

“There is no cause for surprise –– this was expected,” Cuomo said in his statement. “As I said from the beginning, it was a matter of when, not if there would be a positive case of novel coronavirus in New York.”

The patient is not in serious condition, but is displaying respiratory symptoms, the governor said. The Wadsworth Center in Albany, New York confirmed the case, he said.

Syracuse University has recently taken precautions to protect the campus community from the virus. The university recently suspended its SU Abroad program in Florence, Italy and restricted university travel to Italy, China and South Korea.

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 should not be a cause of undue anxiety for New Yorkers, Cuomo said. He noted that the general risk for a coronavirus outbreak in New York state remains low.

“We are diligently managing this situation and will continue to provide information as it becomes available,” Cuomo said.

Published on March 2, 2020 at 12:10 am

Contact Chris: cjhippen@syr.edu