Airport Screenings Expand To Sea-Tac Amid Coronavirus Concerns

SEATTLE, WA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded health screenings to 20 airports, including Sea-Tac, to help identify potential 2019 novel coronavirus symptoms in travelers arriving from China. The Verge reports screening efforts include taking the temperature of passengers and filling out a survey about their specific travel history.

Tuesday night, the Port of Seattle announced several additional precautions it would implement at the airport, including increasing the use of disinfectant in "high touch" areas and making hand sanitizer freely available to international arrivals. Port officials said they were meeting daily with public health officials to determine the best preventative measures.

While airport screening operations are expanding, health officials said the number of passengers affected will continue to fall as most travel passing through China's Hubei province — where the virus originated — is shut down. The CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential trips to China until further notice.

WASHINGTON STATE CASES: LATEST

A Snohomish County man remains in isolation at an Everett hospital, after being diagnosed with the first known U.S. case of the new respiratory virus early last week. Since then, 67 people identified as having "close contact" with the man and continue to receive daily monitoring by phone. That number includes anyone who had been within 6 feet of the man for more than 10 minutes or came into contact with a potentially infected surface.

16 people with respiratory symptoms have been directly tested for the disease in Washington, including three University of Washington students. Statewide, at least eight tests have returned negative for the virus, and eight others are still pending.

ANOTHER PATIENT TESTED IN SEATTLE

The University of Washington Medical Center said a new patient was admitted to UW Medical Center Northwest Tuesday afternoon and was being evaluated in isolation for possible cornavirus. A hospital spokesperson said the patient was in satisfactory condition and would have test results within 24 to 48 hours.

A joint press conference on the statewide response is planned in Seattle Wednesday afternoon. Speakers will include Gov. Jay Inslee, King County Executive Dow Constantine and public health officials.

Symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus can include a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat and fever. Some cases overseas have led to pneumonia.

More than 4,600 cases have been confirmed in China, with 131 recorded deaths. In the United States, only five of the 110 people tested for the virus have tested positive.