Couple diagnosed with coronavirus now out of Hoffman Estates hospital
A Chicago couple who were diagnosed with the deadly coronavirus have been discharged from a Hoffman Estates hospital.
Amita St. Alexius Medical Center spokesman Timothy Nelson reported the unidentified couple in their 60s "have been discharged to their home under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health."
"The couple will remain in home isolation with daily monitoring by public health officials until CDC provides clearance that they can leave their home," said Melaney Arnold, an IDPH spokeswoman.
There's no clear timeline for when health officials will determine the region to be clear of the viral threat.
"Just a reminder that this is a novel coronavirus, public health officials are still learning about it, and guidance may change," Arnold said.
The woman was first admitted in late January after returning from China's Wuhan region, where the outbreak began. Chinese officials have since closed off that area to prevent further spreading of the disease that has sickened thousands and killed hundreds there.
The woman's husband did not go to China and he became ill at the end of January and was quarantined along with his wife after results showed he had contracted coronavirus. It was the first case of person-to-person transmission in the United States.
The virus can cause fever, coughing, wheezing and pneumonia, health officials said.
While the couple asked for privacy, they did release a statement through the hospital.
"With it being an uncomfortable situation, the care and the services we've received have been great. Everyone's been very kind and very respectful," the statement read. "This has been the best health care experience we've ever had, but we're definitely looking forward to getting home and getting life back to normal."