By Steven Pickering and Kelli Wiese
DALLAS (KRLD) - The Brazos County Health District is investigating what may be a case of the coronavirus, and the person who may be infected is a student at Texas A&M University.
"The patient is being monitored. Fortunately, his symptoms are not severe and he is doing well," said Dr. Eric Wilke with the Brazos County Health District.
The student had recently been to Wuhan, China, and reported to a local emergency room in the Bryan-College Station area when he began exhibiting symptoms. Doctors and nurses there were aware of the CDC's guidance on the coronavirus and recognized that he met the criteria for further testing. He is being kept isolated at home while samples are delivered to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
"Once they receive the sample, it's usually returned in 24 hours," Dr. Wilke said. "If there is a confirmed case, contact tracing will begin and all contacts will be monitored for development of symptoms."
Officials say the immediate health risk to the Texas A&M campus is low but students who have questions or concerns can contact the university's student health services here or on its Facebook page.
The virus can cause flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and sore throat.