CDC Wastes Four Days Sticking to Policy of Testing Only Contacts of Infected Patients
[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] It was later confirmed that the testing for the first presumed locally transmitted novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) patient in the United States was delayed.
On the 27th (local time), U.S. media reported that a COVID-19 patient with an unknown infection route "had to wait several days to be tested despite the doctor's request due to restrictive criteria."
This female patient was admitted to NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in California on the 15th of this month and received treatment. When her condition worsened, she was transferred to the University of California Davis Medical Center on the 19th, where she was finally tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
However, the federal agency conducting the COVID-19 tests delayed testing, stating that it only applied to patients who had recently traveled to China or had contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases.
The CDC, seeing no improvement in the patient's condition, finally ordered the test on the 23rd, and a positive result was confirmed on the 26th. It took a total of seven days from hospital arrival to diagnosis: four days until testing and three days for the results.
The CDC and media alike are expressing concern that this case may indicate the start of community transmission of COVID-19 in the United States. Health authorities need to determine where the patient was infected, but it is a challenging situation.
The NYT pointed out, "This patient appears to be a case with an unknown infection route," adding, "This suggests that COVID-19 is spreading within the community."
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