A seemingly healthy woman's sudden death is now the first known US coronavirus-related fatality, LA Times reports

First Covid-19 death was earlier than previously thought 03:12

A seemingly healthy 57-year-old Bay Area woman who "suddenly died" in early February has now become the first known US death related to coronavirus, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

Patricia Dowd, who worked as a manager for a semiconductor company, "exercised routinely, watched her diet and took no medication," the newspaper reported.

2 Californians died of coronavirus weeks before previously known 1st US death

Rick Cabello, Dowd's older brother, told CNN she didn't smoke and was in good health.

"She was an athlete in her high school days, she was always active," Cabello said. Her sudden death was a shock to family members. They all believed it was a heart attack, Cabello said.

The report came after Santa Clara County announced Tuesday that tissue samples confirmed two people who had died in early February tested positive for coronavirus. One victim, who the county said died on February 6, was described as a 57-year-old woman while the other was a 67-year-old man who died on February 17. The county did not provide any more details.

In a Wednesday news conference, Santa Clara County Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sara Cody said neither case had recent travel history that would have exposed them to the virus, and officials are presuming both cases represent community transmission.