CDC changes criteria for coronavirus testing after the first case of unknown origin confirmed

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has changed its criteria for testing patients for coronavirus after the first case of unknown origin was confirmed this week.

The CDC announced Wednesday doctors couldn’t figure out how a patient in Sacramento, California, contracted the coronavirus.

The patient didn't travel anywhere known to have the virus, and wasn’t exposed to anyone known to be infected, according to the CDC.

The CDC is now urging anyone in the United States with the following criteria to be tested for the coronavirus: "fever with severe acute lower respiratory illness (e.g., pneumonia, ARDS) requiring hospitalization, and without an alternative explanatory diagnosis (e.g., influenza)."

As of Wednesday, the CDC has confirmed five countries with "Widespread or Sustained Community Transmission": China, Iran, Italy, Japan, and South Korea.

Coronavirus has killed more than 2,800 people and infected more than 83,000 worldwide, with the majority of patients and deaths in China.

There are currently around 60 known cases in the United States.

We’ll have the full story tonight on KRDO at 5 p.m.