California Reports First Case Of Community-Acquired Coronavirus, Schools Work To Educate Families

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — An assistant professor at University of California Davis, posted to Twitter Wednesday about a confirmed case of coronavirus that appeared to be community acquired — the first in the nation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified the patient as a resident of Solano County who was now hospitalized in Sacramento for treatment. The CDC said the person did not travel and was not knowingly exposed to anyone who was infected.

"We only have this one confirmed case of community transmission, but it suggest we don't know where it came from so the person who exposed them probably exposed others," Dr. Dean Blumberg, of UC Davis Health, said. "So there's probably other cases out there in the community that we do not know about."

RELATED: Korean Air Flight Attendant Working LAX Flights Diagnosed With Coronavirus

That test was done on Sunday, and it took several days for the patient to get back results since the only place to get the test done is in Atlanta, Georgia.

"The CDC distributed test kits to all the local health departments," a CDC spokesperson said. "There was a problem with that kit, and so we are still waiting for new kits to be distributed."

In California, 200 tests have been given, 24 in Los Angeles County.

"It's very frustrating that we don't have a test for this at this point," Dr. Manuel Momjian, lead physician at Urgent Nine and Urgent Care Center in Glendale, said.

He said people have been coming in wanting to get tested for the virus, but there is certain criteria they must meet.

"If you have cold-like symptoms and/or a fever and recent travel from China or around the area of China," Momjian said.

People who have been in contact with known patients with the virus are also able to get tested.

The CDC said it hopes to get tests to local health centers in the coming days. As for those who are concerned they might have contracted the virus, Momjian said to treat it like any other illness and cover your mouth when you cough and wash your hands.

And while school officials in the Southland have faced questions from worried parents in the past few weeks, they wanted to stress that area children are safe.

"We are getting briefed on a regular basis," Dr. Debra Duardo, L.A. County Office Of Education Superintendent, said. "If we do get information for any reason that it's unsafe for children to come to school, we will reach out to parents."