Deadly Coronavirus outbreak in China sparks concerns at domestic airports
A deadly outbreak of Coronavirus has spread to hundreds of people in China. The Associate Press cited the National Health Commission, saying that 6 people have died and 291 people have been infected.
The Center's for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of the virus in the United States on January 20th in the state of Washington. That person is reportedly being treated by a team of medical staff and a robot.
Airport officials began screening 3 major airports: San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
Meanwhile, Palm Springs International Airport officials say the airport is running smoothly and is unaffected.
"There are procedures that we can implement if that were to come about. There’s a wide array of scenarios, I can’t just describe all of them," said Executive Director of Palm Springs International Airport, Tom Nolan.
Flights from the desert predominantly pass through hubs in major cities before taking off to international countries, like China.
"Anyone can fly anywhere in the world in light of Palm Springs International. We’ve got major airlines here. You connect to certain hubs and you go out all over the world so what’s happening from China right now is entering other larger cities, and if anyone happens to be entering the US from China, they’re under great scrutiny by the Center's of Disease Control by the federal government," Nolan said.
Travelers passing through Palm Springs on Tuesday had mixed reactions to the virus spreading.
"I’m not afraid of contagion and viruses in the way that the media and people like to get really 'sensationalistic' and terrified about something bad happening to them. I really believe that the more exposure we have to earth and dirt and bacteria, the stronger we are," said Nevada City resident, Lauren Reinkens.
"A little nervous. Especially when I was recently at a public facility and people are coughing and sneezing. It makes me want to grab one of the masks that they’re wearing," Traveler Dave Michalak said.
Health officials say the virus has already been detected in Thailand, South Korea and Japan.
"Probably would at least concern me because I have an impaired immune system because I have a transplant, liver and kidney transplant. It would be concerning; I don’t know that it would stop me from traveling but just maybe take a few more precautions. I would probably continue to travel," Omaha, Nebraska resident, Ray Klepinger said.
