U.S. Health Officials Warn That Coronavirus Will Likely Gain ‘Foothold’ As 15 Americans Tests Positive

The Associated Press: US Announces 15th Virus Case, This One In Texas Evacuee
U.S. officials on Thursday announced the country's 15th confirmed case of the new coronavirus — an evacuee from China who had been under quarantine in Texas. The patient, who had been flown to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio last week, is now in isolation at a hospital and was reported in stable condition. The infection was confirmed through a Wednesday night lab test , making the person the first coronavirus patient in Texas. (Stobbe, 2/13)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 15 Coronavirus Cases Confirmed In US
On Wednesday, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told media during a conference call “we can and should be prepared for this new virus to gain a foothold in the U.S. (Darnell, 2/13)

The New York Times: Some Wuhan Evacuees Ask Why They Aren’t Being Tested For The Coronavirus
When 195 Americans, including diplomats, were evacuated from Wuhan, China, last month, they were tested for the coronavirus on arrival at a California military base. Health officials swabbed the throats and noses of everyone in the group — the first to be evacuated from Wuhan — and they were relieved when all of their tests came back negative. But as more government-arranged flights evacuated Americans from China in the days that followed, the federal health authorities adopted a new protocol: Only people who showed symptoms of illness during a 14-day quarantine period would be tested. (Jordan and Bogel-Burroughs, 2/13)

CNN: Novel Coronavirus 'Is Probably With Us Beyond This Season, Beyond This Year,' CDC Director Says
As an outbreak of a novel coronavirus has swept through Hubei province, China, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been preparing for its worst case scenario -- a widespread outbreak of illnesses in the United States... "We don't know a lot about this virus," [CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta] said. "This virus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year, and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission." (Andone and Shoichet, 2/14)

The New York Times: U.S. Supports Aid To North Korea For Fighting The Coronavirus
The United States said it would approve humanitarian assistance to North Korea to help international aid agencies fight the coronavirus there, amid fears that the impoverished country may be hiding an outbreak. North Korea has not reported any cases of the new coronavirus. But in the past week, some South Korean news reports, citing unnamed sources within the secretive North, said there had been deaths that were suspected to be related to the virus. The reports could not be confirmed. (Sang-Hun, 2/14)

Associated Press: US Says It's Ready To Help North Korea Combat Virus 
The United States expressed deep concern about North Korea's vulnerability to the outbreak of a new virus and said it was ready to support efforts by aid organizations to contain the spread of the illness in the impoverished nation. North Korea has moved to strengthen quarantines and other preventive measures to protect itself from the COVID-19 illness that has killed hundreds and sickened tens of thousands in China, North Korea's neighbor and closest ally. (Tong-Hyung, 2/14)

Reuters: Trump Says China Is Handling Coronavirus 'Professionally'
U.S. President Donald Trump praised China over its handling of the fast-moving coronavirus outbreak in an interview that aired on Thursday, adding that the United States was working closely with Beijing. "I think they've handled it professionally, and I think they're extremely capable," Trump said in a podcast broadcast on iHeart Radio. (2/13)

Reuters: U.S. Disappointed With China's Coronavirus Response: White House Adviser
The United States is "quite disappointed" with China's response to the coronavirus outbreak, a top White House adviser said on Thursday, criticizing Beijing for a lack of transparency. Speaking to reporters at the White House, National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said the Trump administration had thought there was better transparency than there has turned out to be. (2/13)

NPR: If Coronavirus Surges, Would The U.S. Health System Be Ready To Respond Quickly?
Another U.S. case of infection with the novel coronavirus was confirmed Thursday, bringing the total number of domestic cases to 15. Around the world, cases have reached nearly 60,000 to date. But if something changes and large numbers of people get infected in the U.S., is the country's health system prepared to cope with a surge of patients with this virus, or any future pathogen? (Neighmond, 2/13)

Los Angeles Times: In The San Gabriel Valley, Coronavirus Fear Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
Marta Ayala and Chong Taing, both Rosemead residents, couldn’t see the threat of the coronavirus more differently. You can see it on their faces. While walking out of Superior Grocers supermarket in El Monte, Ayala’s face scrunched in annoyance as she spotted an Asian customer wearing a white medical mask coming from the opposite direction. Despite hearing about the fast-spreading illness, to the 64-year-old Mexican immigrant, the mask is an overreaction that just stokes alarm. (Campa, 2/13)

North Carolina Health News: North Carolina Plans For Coronavirus 
Even before news feeds were disseminating story after story on the coronavirus outbreak in China, North Carolina’s state epidemiologist and others dedicated to protecting the public’s health were in high gear. Zack Moore, the state epidemiologist and a physician who has been with the North Carolina Division of Public Health since 2006, outlined some of the behind-the-scenes work that he and his colleagues have been doing during a meeting this week of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services. (Blythe, 2/14)