A Fulton County 56-year-old man and his son were identified as the two individuals in Georgia first cases of coronavirus in Georgia, local health officials said Tuesday during a news conference.
The man had traveled to Atlanta from Milan, Italy on Feb. 22 and didn’t show symptoms of the disease until a few days after his flight,
Father and son showed symptoms of the illness shortly after the parent returned to Georgia from a trip to the northern Italian city of Milan, officials said.
Dr. Kathleen Toomey, head of the state’s public health department, said the patient who recently traveled to Italy readily recognized the symptoms and rightly reported to medical officials. She described the symptoms as “mild.”
The virus has infected 90,000 people worldwide with approximately 90 confirmed cases in the U.S.. Six people have died from the disease nationwide.
“Georgians should remain calm,” Kemp said. “We were ready for today.”
The illness, known as COVID-19, is characterized by fever and coughing and, sometimes, pneumonia and shortness of breath.
The governor urged people who are exhibiting symptoms to call their medical provider, which “is exactly what happened in this case.”
Kemp on Friday named a task force made up of several of his administration’s top deputies, along with health and school officials, to identify the best ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Georgia.
More than 1,000 travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson, the world’s busiest airport, have been screened for the illness.
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