The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that travelers coming from China will be screened at the U.S. airports starting this Friday. This decision was taken after another life was claimed by SARS-related virus.
Earlier this January, Wuhan experienced a viral outbreak around its seafood market. This pneumonia-like illness caused by an unknown virus affected nearly 41 residents of China.
On investigation, it was discovered that the unknown virus causing this outbreak is a new type of Coronavirus and is as deadly as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Whereas, the latter claimed 650 lives in Honk Kong and China in 2002 – 03.
The overall risk for this pneumonia-like illness is quite low in countries other than China, as indicated by the incidence of only one case in Japan and two in Thailand. According to the CDC, three airports in the U.S. will act as a checkpoint and screen individuals traveling from China to stop the emergence of this new Coronavirus in the American population.
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These checkpoints include John F. Kennedy International Airport New York (JFK), San Francisco International airport (SFO), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Starting this Friday, a large number of people coming from the Chinese city – Wuhan will be screened at these airports on a daily basis.
Almost 100 additional staff members have been employed by the CDC to work at the airports’ quarantine stations. These staff members will screen the travelers by checking their temperature, filling a questionnaire, and looking for the possible signs and symptoms of the disease.
In case, if a person shows symptoms associated with this new Coronavirus, further diagnostic tests will be performed in another facility. Up till now, there isn’t much evidence regarding human-to-human transmission of this disease.
But still, Wuhan’s health commission recommends that it is better not to overrule this possibility. Among the 41 individuals affected by this virus, twelve have been discharged after recovery. Whereas, five were found to be in a severe condition and remaining were in a stable state.
Read More: Chinese Report New Coronavirus as a Potential Cause of the Recent Pneumonia-like Illness
The concerns about this disease raised after another life was taken by this deadly disease. Further investigation showed that among the three individuals infected by this virus in Japan and Thailand, two had come from Wuhan.
According to a statement provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), the first case reported in Thailand hadn’t visited the seafood market that was the source of the outbreak. Also, the case reported in Japan hadn’t been exposed to this area.
Later, via laboratory testing, it was discovered that this new Coronavirus has the potential to be transmitted between humans.
The latest calamity comes with the Lunar New Year when a large number of individuals travel via trains, buses, and planes. Up till now, there aren’t any travel restrictions publicized by China. But Hong Kong authorities have increased screening measures that also involve checking the temperature of incoming travelers.
The screening of Chinese travelers at the airports is a step to prevent this new Coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.