US evacuee infected with coronavirus was released from hospital by mistake

The patient, who was evacuated from Wuhan China last week, was released after an initial test for the novel coronavirus came up negative.

Story at a glance

• The patient was quarantined with three others after they all tested negative for the virus.
• Further testing confirmed one of the four patients tested positive.
• The patient was hospitalized and isolated. This is the 13th confirmed case in the U.S.

By Joseph Guzman | 11 February 2020

THE HILL — A U.S. evacuee from China infected with the coronavirus was mistakenly released from a San Diego hospital after an initial test came out negative, local health officials said Monday.

The patient arrived at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego last week from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak that has left more than 1,000 dead and infected more than 42,000 in mainland China as of Tuesday.

The patient and three others were hospitalized after showing symptoms of the virus, but initial tests by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention returned negative results for all four patients, who were then released and taken to quarantine facilities at Miramar Sunday, where they were told to stay for 14 days. …

At least 13 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the U.S., with seven in California. Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Washington and Wisconsin have all reported cases. […]

WINTER WATCH NOTE — News reports claim the infected woman was released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon and summoned back to the medical center from Miramar military base on Monday morning. CDC investigators are trying to determine with whom the woman may have had contact during her nearly 24-hour release.