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Countries Around World Gear Up Response to New Coronavirus

Associated Press

   BEIJING - Countries in Asia and elsewhere have begun body temperature
   checks at airports, railway stations and along highways in hopes of
   catching people carrying a new coronavirus that is believed to have
   spread from Wuhan in central China and sickened more than 290 people in
   that country. The recent confirmation that the disease can spread
   between humans has heightened fears as millions of Chinese travel
   during the annual Lunar New Year holiday.
   The measures are part of a widening effort aimed at preventing a repeat
   of the 2002-2003 outbreak of SARS, another coronoavirus that started in
   China and killed nearly 800 people, paralyzed transport and damaged
   Asian economies.
   JAPAN
   One case has been detected in Japan, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has
   urged officials to step up quarantine checks at airports and other
   entry points, with many visitors from China expected to arrive during
   the Lunar New Year holiday. The number of Chinese tourists has risen
   steadily in recent years, with more than 9 million visiting last year.
   Japan will require visitors arriving from Wuhan to fill in health
   forms, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. Japan confirmed its
   first patient last week, a man in his 30s who tested positive for the
   coronavirus after returning from Wuhan. The Ministry of Health, Labor
   and Welfare said it has tracked down 41 people who had contacts with
   the patient and is monitoring them. It says none has developed
   pneumonia symptoms.

   AUSTRALIA
   Brendan Murphy, Australia's chief medical officer, said flights from
   Wuhan are being met by biosecurity staff and by state health officials
   in New South Wales who are distributing pamphlets in English and
   Chinese to all passengers describing the symptoms of the disease and
   asking them to identify themselves if they have any. Australian health
   officials said a man was placed in isolation in Brisbane after
   developing a respiratory illness after traveling to Wuhan but has now
   recovered.
   UNITED STATES
   The U.S. has begun screening passengers on flights from Wuhan arriving
   at John F. Kennedy International Airport, San Francisco International
   Airport and Los Angeles International airport _ the three major ports
   of entry to the U.S. Initial screenings are expected to involve around
   5,000 passengers, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It says
   it has developed a test to diagnose the new coronavirus which it plans
   to share with domestic and international partners. ``Based on current
   information, however, the immediate health risk ... to the general
   American public is deemed to be low at this time. Nevertheless, CDC is
   taking proactive preparedness precautions,'' it said.

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