Three people who recently returned to Colorado from China were flagged as possibly having contracted a newly discovered strain of the coronavirus, but so far the state hasn’t had a confirmed case.
Testing ruled out the virus for two of the patients, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still investigating the third case. The new coronavirus causes a fever, coughing and shortness of breath—all symptoms that can come from more common illnesses, like flu.
The Colorado Department of Public Health emphasized that the risk to the general public is low, and urged people to keep taking the same precautions they would during a typical flu season: washing your hands frequently, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, avoiding sick people and staying home if you aren’t feeling well.
