NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Test results were released Tuesday for one of the three people under investigation for the coronavirus in New York City.
According to the city’s Health Department, the patient – who is currently hospitalized at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, tested negative for the virus.
The two other patients are still awaiting their results.
“The first person who met the criteria to have samples sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was found not to have the 2019 novel coronavirus,” Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said in a statement. “The response and care the patient received reflects how well the systems we have in place are working. We want to thank everyone for all they did, and we will keep New Yorkers informed as the situation develops.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio responded to the news saying he was “relieved” to hear the person was not infected.
He then stressed: “If you have the symptoms and recent travel history, please see your health provider immediately.”
There remains no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in New York.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that people can call a new coronavirus hotline — 1-888-364-3065 — with questions or concerns. The hotline is staffed by experts from the Department of Health.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security is restricting who enters the country.
"No foreign nationals, non-U.S. citizens who have had contact with mainland China in the past 14 days will be permitted by the federal government to enter the United States," said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.
There is now enhanced screening at major airports including John F. Kennedy International and Newark-Liberty.
U.S. citizens who have been to Hubei province, ground zero for the coronavirus outbreak, will be quarantined for 14 days.
Citizens who have been to other parts of China will self-monitor at home.
Additionally, both Princeton University and Cornell University are monitoring students for the virus. As many as 100 students who had recently visited China had been under investigation at Princeton.
The University said late Tuesday that only one student who recently traveled to China was still being assessed among those required to-isolate amid the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak in that country.
So far 11 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the U.S. Globally, more than 20,000 people have been infected, almost all of them in China.