First American Coronavirus Death Confirmed

Washington, DC (AP) - The first person in the US to die from the Chinese coronavirus was a woman in Washington state.

Pres. Trump Saturday provided an update on the virus after the death was reported. He described the victim as a man who was a high medical risk. He says healthy Americans should be able to recover if they contract the new virus.

He announced the U.S. is now banning travel to Iran in response to the outbreak of the new coronavirus. And it's elevating travel warnings to regions of Italy and South Korea.

Trump says 22 people in the U.S. have been stricken by the new coronavirus and more cases in the United States are “likely.”

The new virus is a member of the coronavirus family and is a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past. Most COVID-19 infections result in mild symptoms, including coughing and fever, though some can become more serious and lead to pneumonia. Older people, especially those with chronic illnesses such as heart or lung disease, are especially vulnerable. Health officials think it spreads mainly from droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how the flu spreads.