All flights to the United States carrying people who have recently been in China are being directed to land at one of seven U.S. airports with public health resources capable of implementing enhanced coronavirus screening procedures.
The action by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took effect Sunday; the department published details of the decision in today’s issue of the Federal Register.
The action follows an outbreak of respiratory illness that began in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The outbreak was caused by a coronavirus. The Federal Register announcement noted that coronaviruses are common in some species of animals, including bats, cats and cattle, but rarely infect people.
“The potential for widespread transmission of this virus by infected individuals seeking …
