Wuhan coronavirus confirmed in Boston, marking the first case in Massachusetts and the eigth case in the US

REUTERS/Aly Song

Workers are seen on a production line manufacturing masks at a factory in Shanghai, China, January 31, 2020.

• A man in Boston tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from Wuhan, China, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said on Friday.
• The case marks the first in Massachusetts and the eighth confirmed case in the United States.
• At least 259 people have died as a result of the virus, and around 12,000 have been infected, primarily in China.
• The virus has been reported in at least 22 countries around the world.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A man who recently traveled from China to Boston has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Friday to have the Wuhan coronavirus, marking the first case of the virus in Massachusetts and the eighth in the United States.

According to a Saturday press release from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), the man is in his 20s and resides in Boston. The MDPH said the Centers for Disease Control notified state and local agencies of the positive test result on Friday night.

Per the MDPH, the Boston man had recently traveled to Wuhan, the city in China's Hubei province where the outbreak originated. The man sought medical attention soon after his return to the US, the release said, adding that he had been isolated since seeking medical help. His "few close contacts" are being watched for signs of the virus, the agency added.

Shayanne Gal/Business Insider

The man will stay in isolation until he is cleared by public health officials, according to the MDPH.

"Our priority is not only to protect and inform the residents of Boston but also to help this man continue to recover. We are pleased that he is doing well," Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director Rita Nieves said in the press release. "Right now, we are not asking Boston residents to do anything differently. The risk to the general public remains low. And we continue to be confident we are in a good position to respond to this developing situation."

As Business Insider previously reported, seven other cases of the virus have been reported throughout the US, in Arizona, California, and Washington.

The disease, which has killed at least 259 and infected nearly 12,000, mainly in China, has spread to 22 countries around the globe, including Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, the US, and Vietnam.

President Trump on January 31 banned foreign nationals who visited China within the past two weeks from entering the US, though US citizens, their immediate families, and permanent residents are not included in the ban. US citizens who have traveled to China's Hubei province must undergo 14 days in isolation upon returning to the country.

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