Experts say there’s a strong possibility that the coronavirus is spreading within California, where the second known case of community transmission was reported Friday.
The new case involves a 65-year-old resident of Santa Clara County with no history of travel to any coronavirus hot spots — or any known contact with anyone else who is sick, The Washington Post reported.
The first case was a woman in Solano County, who is in serious condition and has been intubated, officials said. She, too, had no relevant travel or exposure history.
The two patients are about 90 miles apart, meaning the virus may be quietly spreading among at least two separate populations.
“I think there’s a strong possibility that there’s local transmission going in California,” Jennifer Nuzzo, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told The Washington Post.
“In other words, the virus is spreading within California, and I think there’s a possibility other states are in the same boat. They just haven’t recognized that yet,” she said.
Source: New York Post