A Chinese citizen living in Massachusetts became ill earlier this month, with symptoms consistent with the coronavirus. She went to a local hospital and asked to be tested three times, but was denied. Frustrated, she flew to China – and tested positive upon arrival.
With many governments abroad failing to act swiftly to implement testing, prepare hospitals and medical workers or implement tough social distancing practices, infections and deaths are mounting worldwide. And now, in an ironical twist, some Chinese living abroad are returning to China for testing and medical help.
The imported case from Massachusetts was reported by Beijing health authorities at a press conference Saturday. The woman, who was identified only by her surname, Li, was originally from Chongqing , Chinese authorities said, without specifying what work she did or how long she’d lived in Massachusetts . She’d attended a company meeting from Feb. 26-27 where another attendee later tested positive for coronavirus, she told Chinese authorities.
She said she began exhibiting symptoms on March 1 : chills, then a fever of 102 degrees, then a cough, runny nose, nausea, muscle aches and fatigue. Chinese officials said that Li went to a local hospital in Massachusetts on March 3 and she was given oseltamivir, an antiviral medication used for the flu.
A sign announces the closure of the New York Public Library main branch on Fifth Avenue
She returned to the same hospital on March 5 and Tuesday for chest scans, which turned out normal. On Wednesday, Chinese health authorities said, Li returned to the hospital for another chest scan, and it showed that her lungs were infected. But she was not admitted to the hospital. She requested to be tested for the coronavirus three times, but was rejected.
On Thursday, Li flew with her husband and son from Los Angeles International Airport to Beijing on the 1 a.m. Air China flight, CA988. A flight attendant surnamed Sun said that Li was seated in an isolation area in the back of the plane, blocked from other passengers by a curtain, after she told the attendant she had low blood sugar. Li and her family were taken to a hospital upon arrival: She had a fever, fatigue and dry cough at the time. Her husband had fatigue and her son had no symptoms.
us. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) alongside Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Coronavirus Task Force in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, March 15, 2020.
She was tested and confirmed positive for coronavirus on Friday. Beijing authorities said 59 people who’d come into close contact with Li were all being monitored as well. The World Health Organisation has praised China’s tough measures of virus control for “flattening the curve” of the coronavirus outbreak through social distancing, contact tracing, and strict quarantine of suspected and confirmed virus patients and their contacts. In recent days, China has reported new infections in the single digits.
The capital is now cracking down on arrivals from abroad: Beijing authorities announced Sunday that anyone flying into Beijing from anywhere abroad, starting at midnight March 16 , would be subject to 14 days of quarantine in government centers.
A Chinese citizen living in Massachusetts became ill earlier this month, with symptoms consistent with the coronavirus. She went to a local hospital and asked to be tested three times, but was denied. Frustrated, she flew to China – and tested positive upon arrival.
She said she began exhibiting symptoms on March 1 : chills, then a fever of 102 degrees, then a cough, runny nose, nausea, muscle aches and fatigue. Chinese officials said that Li went to a local hospital in Massachusetts on March 3 and she was given oseltamivir, an antiviral medication used for the flu.
A sign announces the closure of the New York Public Library main branch on Fifth Avenue
us. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) alongside Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Coronavirus Task Force in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, March 15, 2020.
