A person in Oregon diagnosed with a presumptive case of the novel coronavirus had no known travel exposure and is believed to have contracted the disease through the community, according to Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen.
A presumptive case means that a test at a state, county or city lab shows that someone has tested positive for coronavirus, but that result has not yet been confirmed by the CDC’s lab in Atlanta.
This case is the third in the US where the person is believed to have contracted the disease through the community -- meaning they haven't traveled to an infected area or had contact with a person known to be infected with the virus.
“There was no known travel exposure for this individual, so this is a case of community spread of the disease, much like the case from California earlier this week,” Allen said.
The person is from Washington County and is being treated at a Kaiser Permanente hospital.
The patient spent time at the Forest Hills Elementary School in Lake Oswego School District and the Oregon Health Authority is working with school officials and the Oregon Department of Education in the response, Allen said.
The case tested positive for coronavirus in Oregon, but the results need to be confirmed by the CDC in Atlanta, Allen said.
The first case of "community spread" occurred in California. The person did not have any relevant travel history or known contact with another infected person.