The Texas Department of State Health Services and Fort Bend County Health and Human Services are reporting the first positive test result for coronavirus in Texas outside of the passengers returned from Wuhan City or the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
The DSHS says the patient is a resident of Fort Bend County and recently returned from travel abroad. The patient is currently isolated in the hospital.
The test was performed at the public health lab in Houston and will be confirmed by testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DSHS is supporting Fort Bend County in identifying any close contacts of the patient while he was sick so thaty can be isolated and monitored for symptoms and quickly tested, if needed.
“Having a COVID-19 case in Texas is a significant development in this outbreak, but it doesn’t change the fact that the immediate risk to most Texans is low,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS commissioner. “This travel-related case reinforces the fact that we should all be taking basic hygiene steps that are extremely effective in limiting limit the spread of COVID-19 and all respiratory illnesses.”
DSHS says a travel-related case in Texas does not indicate spread within the state.
Governor Abbott and the DSHS will hold a press conference Thursday on the state's testing capabilities for COVID-19.
This article was written by Sydney Isenberg for KXXV .