The CDC is being criticized for initially declining to test a California patient with the Coronavirus. Health experts say the patient could be the first case of “community spread”, meaning they hadn’t traveled abroad or been around anyone known to have the deadly virus.
The patient, who came into U.C. Davis Medical Center on a ventilator February 19th, wasn’t tested by the CDC for the Coronavirus until four days later on the 23rd, despite requests from hospital staff. The results came back positive on February 26th.
The CDC delayed testing because criteria, like traveling abroad or being around an infected person, wasn’t met. While the hospital is asking some staff to stay home, reps say there is minimal potential for exposure since the patient was treated for infection the whole time.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/27/health/us-cases-coronavirus-community-transmission/index.html
