CDC Screening For Coronavirus At PHL As Health Emergency Declared

PHILADELPHIA — With the new coronavirus declared a public health emergency Thursday by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control is expanding its screening for the illness to Philadelphia International Airport.

The CDC said it has added Philadelphia International Airport to the list of airports that will screen passengers for coronavirus, according to multiple outlets including USA Today.

The airport is one of the CDC's 20 Quarantine Stations across the country. Quarantine Stations are staffed with quarantine medical and public health officers from CDC. Health officers decide whether ill persons can enter the United States and what measures should be taken to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

The CDC issued a travel advisory Tuesday recommending that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to all of China in response to the ongoing outbreak of the new virus.

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So far, no cases have been confirmed in Pennsylvania. A foreign exchange student at William Penn Charter School was tested earlier this week for the virus but was cleared.

State health officials say they are working with local physicians and the CDC to test any potential cases. The CDC also recommends that travelers avoid nonessential travel to Hubei Province, China, including Wuhan.

"At this time, there have not been any cases confirmed in the state. Nationwide, there are dozens of potential cases that are currently being investigated by local, state and federal health officials," said Brittany Lauffer, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. "The department, through our team of epidemiologists and our emergency response section, are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our and municipal health departments to monitor the coronavirus outbreak in China and Asia, and associated cases in the United States. We are also in constant contact with our health care partners across the state."

Additionally, the state has issued advisories to physicians, alerting them to the latest information regarding the coronavirus and asking them to report any suspected cases.

According to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, health officials in the city are investigating one person for a possible case of the new coronavirus.

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Thursday, the CDC announced the first human-to-human transfer of the virus in the United States, in Chicago.

Numerous other airports in the country are also screening for the coronavirus. According to USA Today, those are in Alaska, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, El Paso, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Newark, New York (JFK), San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C. (Dulles), and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Anyone who has traveled to China in the last 14 days and feels sick with fever, cough or is having difficulty breathing should seek medical care right away. The CDC said symptoms of 2019 coronavirus may appear in as few as two days or could take as long as 14 days after exposure.

Because the virus is so new, doctors and scientists are still working to develop a full picture of how it behaves.

Here are some answers from Dr. Jeff Duchin, a health officer for King County Public Health in Washington state, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

What is a coronavirus?

According to the CDC, coronaviruses are part of a large family of viruses that cause illnesses both in humans and animals. In rare cases, animal coronaviruses can evolve to infect people. The new virus is officially referred to as "2019 novel coronavirus" or "2019-nCoV."

How does this new virus spread?

Researchers around the globe are still determining precisely how the virus spreads. Many patients in the Wuhan outbreak had visited a large seafood and animal market, but a growing number of patients have no connection. The CDC said that indicates limited person-to-person transmission is possible — but it remains unknown how easily it spreads among people.

How severe are the symptoms?

Most coronaviruses cause mild respiratory illnesses, similar to the common cold, and a fever. Some can be more severe, such as SARS and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome). Researchers do not know how long symptoms appear after an initial exposure. A man diagnosed in Washington state checked in to a health clinic with a fever and a cough.

From Duchin:

"As with any newly emerging infectious disease, knowledge evolves with time. Early on, it is difficult to know the source of the disease, how effectively it spreads from person to person, and the spectrum of illness — how severe the infection is. These questions are answered over time as investigations provide accurate information. According to reports, most of the hundreds of people who have been infected have not had serious illness, although there have been several deaths."

Is there a vaccine?

According to Public Health, there is no vaccine for this virus or other coronaviruses, but scientists at the National Institute of Health have said they will work toward developing one.

Is there cause for concern?

Health officials continue to say overall risk to the general public is low and a lack of evidence that it easily spreads. "In addition, even in China there have been relatively few cases identified to-date relative to the size of the population," Duchin said.

Did the Snohomish County man potentially expose others at Sea-Tac Airport?

Since he did not show symptoms until the day after returning to the United States, health officials said it was less likely the man transmitted the virus to anyone else at the airport. The CDC is still working to evaluate any areas of concern.

What is being done in Washington — and nationally — to prevent the virus from spreading?

In addition to the CDC's screening efforts at airports, health agencies are also distributing information to hospitals and clinics throughout that region to make sure all are equipped to detect further infections as quickly as possible. In Washington state, for instance, the CDC was working with state and local health agencies to screen every person that patient may have come in contact with, including medical staff and other patients.

When should someone seek medical treatment — and how?

"If you’ve traveled from the Wuhan area of China and feel sick with fever, cough or difficulty breathing, call your health care provider before going to get care and tell them about your symptoms and travel," Duchin said. "They can provide you instructions for seeking care so that you do not expose others."

You can find international travel notices and updated information on the new virus on the CDC website.