COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Department of Health reports that 255 people in the state are under public health supervision as part of the coronavirus investigation.

The number includes travelers referred for health department monitoring, including those who have already completed a self-monitoring period.

Among the 255 are travelers who have voluntarily contacted local health departments upon arriving in Ohio.

Health officials say those people are not exhibiting symptoms of the illness.

There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ohio. However, three people are under investigation which began exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illness within 14 days after either traveling to China or have been in close contact with someone known to have COVID-19.

Seven people who were under investigation have since tested negative for the illness.

Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 99 COVID-19 cases, 30 of which are travel-related, and 20 cases linked to person-to-person contact.

Forty-nine other cases are still under investigation.

There have been ten deaths in thirteen states linked to coronavirus.

While the COVID-19 outbreak began in China, it is now spreading worldwide, threatening to cause a pandemic. Sustained, ongoing person-to-person spread in the community is occurring in some international locations.

Last week in the U.S., several instances of infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 occurred in people with no travel history and no known source of exposure in several states. This has raised the level of concern about the immediate threat of COVID-19 for specific communities.

The U.S. State Department has issued Level 4 travel advisories, advising against travel to China and Iran due to coronavirus outbreaks. Americans are being advised to reconsider travel to Italy and South Korea (Level 3 advisory). Increased caution is advised in traveling to Japan (Level 2 advisory).

The U.S. government is banning entry of foreign nationals who have been in China or Iran in the previous 14 days.