MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A man in his 40s is the first presumptive positive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) case in Montgomery County.
County officials confirmed Wednesday the man has not traveled out of the state of country recently. Everyone he has been in close contact with is in self-quarantine.
Houston's mayor later confirmed the patient attended the Houston rodeo BBQ cook-off in late February.
If the case is confirmed by the CDC, this could be the first community-spread case in the area.
The man is being treated at a local hospital. The man is isolated and officials said the risk to the public is low. The man's identity and where he is being treated is not being released.
At Wednesday's press conference, authorities also confirmed that Montgomery ISD would close early for spring break - Thursday and Friday. Its campuses will undergo a "deep cleaning" during that time as a precaution. Classes are scheduled to resume March 23 following the end of spring break.
There are now at least 13 cases in the Houston area. Click here to see a list of all the cases.
The presumptive positive test from Montgomery County has been submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for final confirmation.
Authorities are investigating the patient's travel history.
There is no vaccine for the novel coronavirus and there are no known medications to treat it.
Anyone who has traveled to a country that's on the CDC's restricted list is being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return to the United States.
Health officials are telling the public to take precautions to decrease the spread of the virus. Washing your hands and disinfecting surfaces in your house can help.
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Protect yourself from coronavirus
- Cover: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Dispose: Throw used tissues in a lined trash can.
- Wash hands: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
- Hand sanitizer: If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching: Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.