A U.S. citizen who contracted the coronavirus has died at a hospital in China, marking the first confirmed death of an American diagnosed with the disease.
“We can confirm a 60-year-old U.S. citizen diagnosed with coronavirus died at Jinyintian Hospital in Wuhan, China on February 6,” a spokesperson for the State Department said Saturday.
“We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss. Out of the respect for the family’s privacy, we have no further comment,” the spokesperson said.
The New York Times first reported the person’s death late Friday.
More than 34,000 people around the world have been diagnosed with the coronavirus since it was discovered late last year, including over 700 who have died from the disease.
President Trump said Friday on Twitter that he had spoken with his counterpart in China, where the vast majority of cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed.
“Just had a long and very good conversation by phone with President Xi of China. He is strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus,” Mr. Trump tweeted.
“He feels they are doing very well, even building hospitals in a matter of only days. Nothing is easy, but he will be successful, especially as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker, and then gone,” Mr. Trump added. “Great discipline is taking place in China, as President Xi strongly leads what will be a very successful operation. We are working closely with China to help!”
A total of 12 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the coronavirus so far.
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