WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – Chinese health officials are currently dealing with an outbreak of a deadly new virus which has sickened dozens. As a result, the CDC will now begin health screenings for some travelers arriving from the country in order to prevent an outbreak of coronavirus in the U.S.
The agency says screenings will be at airports with direct or connecting flights from Wuhan, which is the center of the outbreak. Those airports are Los Angeles’ LAX airport, San Francisco International Airport and New York’s JFK airport where the first flight lands Friday night.
According to the CDC, roughly 5,000 people could travel from Wuhan to the U.S. in the coming weeks.
CDC officials say they believe the risk from the new coronavirus spreading in the U.S. is low.
So far, 45 cases have been reported in China as well as two in Japan and one in Thailand. Two people have died. All of the patients have traveled from Wuhan.
The coronavirus is in the same family as the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS.
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