Rhode Island sees first coronavirus case

Rhode Island has confirmed its first coronavirus case Sunday, a day after the first U.S. fatality was reported.

© Getty Images Rhode Island sees first coronavirus case

The infected patient, who is in their 40s, had traveled to Italy in mid-February and is being treated at a hospital, a release from Rhode Island Department of Health read.

The state's health department said it has prepared for weeks for a coronavirus case.

"We fully anticipated having a first case of COVID-19," Nicole Alexander-Scott, the director of the department, said in a statement. "We are not seeing widespread community transmission in Rhode Island, and the general level of risk for Rhode Islanders is still low."

"However, everyone in Rhode Island has a role to play in helping us prevent the spread of viruses, just like the flu," she continued. "It is very important that people wash their hands regularly, cover their coughs and sneezes, and stay home if they are sick."

Officials have begun to reach out to those who have been in direct contact with the patient and require they take 14 days self-monitoring in quarantine, with public health supervision. The patient's immediate family has self-quarantined since the patient's travel history and symptoms met the threshold to be tested for coronavirus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is heading the contact to those on the patient's flight back to the U.S. The patient traveled minimally in Rhode Island since coming back from Italy and had not returned to their place of work.

The State Health Laboratories sped up the implementation of the coronavirus test this weekend, which confirmed the case. The CDC had previously tested all other cases and also confirmed this case.

There have been at least 72 confirmed cases in the U.S. with one death of a male patient in Washington state confirmed Saturday.

The U.S. has issued travel advisories for traveling to Italy and South Korea. Foreign nationals who have traveled to China or Iran have been banned from entering the country.