Comal County reports first case of coronavirus

COVID-19: An undated photo provided by the National Institutes of Health, a transmission electron microscope image of 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the United States emerging from the surface of cells cultured in a lab.

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COVID-19: An undated photo provided by the National Institutes of Health, a transmission electron microscope image of 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the United States

… more

Photo: National Institutes Of Health

Photo: National Institutes Of Health

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Caption

Image 1 of 69

COVID-19: An undated photo provided by the National Institutes of Health, a transmission electron microscope image of 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the United States emerging from the surface of cells cultured in a lab.

less

… more

Photo: National Institutes Of Health

Comal County officials issued a disaster declaration and confirmed the county’s first case of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

The positive case is travel-related, according to a news release. The individual has been self-quarantined since their arrival in the community and has had no contact with other residents.

The county’s Office of Public Health has seen an increase in the number or coronavirus tests submitted to labs. The positive test was received Wednesday morning.

County Judge Sherman Krause signed the disaster declaration, which will remain in effect for seven days, on Wednesday morning.

“Declaring a disaster activates our emergency management plan and gives Comal County the tools to take further action as it becomes necessary,” Krause said.

The declaration allows officials to seek state and federal support and formally activates the county’s emergency operations center.

Mark Dunphy is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read him on our breaking news site, MySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | [email protected] | @m_b_dunphy