The first to fall ill was a 38-year-old Italian who met with someone who had returned from China on Jan. 21 without presenting any symptoms of the new virus, health authorities said. That person was being kept in isolation and appears to present antibodies to the virus. His wife and a friend of his, who was a member of his running club, also tested positive for the virus. ADWord of the contagion sparked fears throughout the region, particularly given the closure of the emergency room at the Codogno hospital. He defended the precautionary measures Italy took previously, noting that Italy remains the lone European country to have barred flights to and from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Source: Washington Post February 21, 2020 11:23 UTC