Medical screener at Los Angeles International Airport tests positive for coronavirus


A screener at Los Angeles International Airport has tested positive for the new coronavirus.
The CDC contract medical professional, who screened travelers arriving at the airport from China, was diagnosed with the COVID-19 coronavirus on Tuesday, and has a mild case. They are in isolation, and their family members have also been tested. Los Angeles County now has seven coronavirus patients, with officials saying all of them were exposed to COVID-19 after coming into close contact with a person already infected.
On Wednesday morning, California announced its first death related to the coronavirus. An elderly person with underlying health issues died in Placer County, after likely being exposed to the coronavirus while on a Princess cruise from San Francisco to Mexico last month. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency Wednesday afternoon, saying that by doing so, California will be able to get more equipment and services to fight the outbreak. There are more than 50 coronavirus patients in California across 12 counties.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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