The first death from the novel coronavirus has been confirmed on US soil, in Washington state, health officials said Saturday, after a handful of cases of unknown origin were detected, indicating the disease was spreading in the country.
This is coming barely a week after President Donald Trump said America was doing a great job and there was no case of the novel virus in the US.
The fatality occurred in King county, the most populous in the state and home to Seattle, a city of more than 700,000 people, officials in the state told AFP. The victim was not immediately identified. “It is a sad day in our state as we learn that a Washingtonian has died from COVID-19. Our hearts go out to his family and friends,” Washington state Governor Jay Inslee said in a statement. .
US President Donald Trump said he would address the media about the “latest coronavirus developments” at about 1:30 pm (1830 GMT).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 60 people are infected with the disease in the United States — the majority of them passengers from the stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship.
