KU Hospital Admits Patient with COVID-19, Disease Caused by Coronavirus
By Elle Moxley, KCUR Radio
The University of Kansas Hospital says it has admitted a patient with COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. According to a news release, the patient is in a specially-equipped area to prevent the spread of the virus to other patients, staff, physicians and visitors. The hospital says it won't provide any personal details about the patient’s identity.
Dr. Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the patient admitted to the KU Hospital for COVID-19 is the same woman from Johnson County who was previously identified as the first presumptive positive case of coronavirus in Kansas. Over the weekend, Kansas health officials announced that a Johnson County woman was the state’s first case of the new coronavirus. She appears to have contracted her illness while traveling in the northeast United States. More than 80 other people in Kansas are being monitored for the infection because they have traveled to countries where the virus is spreading rapidly.
People who are experiencing symptoms – which include fever, coughing and shortness of breath – should contact their local health department. Most cases of the new coronavirus are mild, and patients can self-isolate at home. More serious cases may require hospitalization. This is a developing story. For more updates, follow @KUHospitalNews on Twitter.
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Elle Moxley is the education reporter for KCUR Radio. Follow her on Twitter @ellemoxley.
