The US has reported its first death from the new coronavirus, in the north-west state of Washington.
Officials said the patient was a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions.
President Donald Trump said more cases were “likely” but that the US was prepared for any circumstance.
Officials said they were expanding travel restrictions on Iran and urged Americans to avoid hard-hit parts of Italy and South Korea.
More than 85,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in 57 countries around the world and almost 3,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. The vast majority of infections and deaths are in China, where the virus emerged late last year.
Local health officials confirmed on Saturday that the man in his 50s died in Washington state’s King County. They said he had not travelled to any high-risk areas.
There was confusion earlier as Mr Trump described the patient as a “wonderful woman”.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee has declared a state of emergency in response to new cases in the state.
It comes as officials on the US West Coast – in California, Oregon and Washington – expressed concerns about cases appearing in patients who had not visited an area where there was an outbreak or been in contact with anyone who had.
Officials in Washington state on Saturday said they were investigating a possible outbreak of the coronavirus at a local nursing home.
Dr Jeffrey Duchin, a health official for Washington’s Seattle and King County, said there were two cases associated with the long-term care facility Life Care Center of Kirkland – one a healthcare worker and the other a resident in her 70s.
Dr Duchin said about 27 residents and 25 staff members at the centre had “some sort of symptoms”. Officials said more positive cases were expected.
In total, the WHO says there have been 62 cases in the US so far.
A US citizen previously died in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first appeared. BBC.
