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Updated March 3, 7:30 p.m. ET
Since Jan. 21, health officials have identified more than 100 cases of COVID-19 in the United States. The respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus has spread to dozens of countries and has killed thousands since it was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 60 cases of COVID-19 as of March 3. In addition, 48 cases were found among people who flew back to the U.S. on flights chartered by the U.S. State Department, including those who were aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, according to the CDC.
To date, there have been nine deaths in the U.S.
The virus is thought to spread mostly through close contact and is more dangerous for people who have underlying health conditions, the CDC says. So far, the virus has proved more dangerous for the elderly. The CDC recommends basic precautions such as hand-washing to avoid spreading the disease, and it discourages travel to several countries with outbreaks of COVID-19, including China, Iran, Italy and South Korea.
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