Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said the person who died was a 69-year-old from Little Ferry who had underlying medical conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure.
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The man had no history of international travel but had had gone back and forth to New York state, where he worked as a horse trainer.
The raceway is closed as a precaution, and MGM Resorts International officials issued a statement saying, "We have asked employees who worked in the immediate area to self-quarantine."
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.
According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.
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