New York (AFP)
Three major American airports, in New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) will screen passengers for flights from the Chinese city of Wuhan for a virus close to the SARS. was identified.
The measure, announced Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), takes effect immediately.
These three airports "accommodate most travelers from Wuhan", in direct flight, or after one or two stopovers, the CDC said in a statement.
Two patients died from respiratory problems linked to this virus, close to that which caused the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2002-2003.
So far, around 40 cases have been identified in China, all in Wuhan. The virus seems to have its origin in a market in this city of 11 million inhabitants.
"Based on the information currently available, the risk (posed by the virus) for Americans is considered to be low," said the CDC, which nevertheless wants to "take precautions".
The CDC dispatched approximately 100 people to the three airports concerned to help on-site personnel carry out this screening.
© 2020 AFP