Massachusetts confirms eighth case of coronavirus in US

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Saturday that a young man in his 20s returning from Wuhan, China, tested positive for coronavirus, becoming the eighth case of the virus in the U.S.

State authorities said that the man, who resides in Boston, sought medical attention quickly after returning from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. He’s currently receiving treatment in isolation.

“We are grateful that this young man is recovering and sought medical attention immediately,” Monica Bharel, the commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, said in a press release.

“Massachusetts has been preparing for a possible case of this new coronavirus, and we were fortunate that astute clinicians took appropriate action quickly,” she continued.

Despite the new case of the virus, Bharel noted that the risk for contracting the virus in Massachusetts remains low.

On Friday, President Trump declared the coronavirus a public health emergency in the U.S. and restricted travel to and from China. Aside from the immediate family of U.S. citizens, Chinese nationals who traveled to China in the past two weeks will be denied entry into the country.

Trump’s actions follow the World Health Organization labeling the outbreak a global health emergency earlier in the week. 

As of Saturday, more than 12,000 cases of the virus have been reported worldwide and more than 250 people have died.