Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Vigilance at airports amid fear of global spread
THE first case of a deadly flu-like virus has been identified in the US as fears grow about how quickly it is spreading.
Medics in Seattle diagnosed the visitor from China while airports across the world stepped up precautions including the screening of travellers from the country where the death toll has reached six.
After it was confirmed the coronavirus is contagious between humans, authorities fear the millions of people travelling for the Chinese New Year holiday will increase the chances of the strain being spread.
More than 300 cases have been reported in China, mostly in the central city of Wuhan where the virus may have originated at a sea food market.
Dr Nathalie Macdermott, a leading expert at King’s
College London, said: “It appears likely the Wuhan coronavirus is spread through contact with an infected person’s secretions and respiratory droplet infection – this is contact with small particles in the air that occur when an infected person coughs or sneezes.”
There are also confirmed cases in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. As the battle to contain the virus intensified, masked workers sprayed disinfectant at Incheon international airport near South Korea’s capital Seoul.
While staff used thermal scanners to check passengers at Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia.
Nervous travellers wore face masks across China including in the central city of Yichang as the outbreak revived memories of the Sars pandemic, which began in China and killed around 800 people between 2002 and 2004.
Footage from a flight from Wuhan to Macau 10 days ago has emerged showing a medic in sterile clothing screening passengers.
The World Health Organisation is to hold an emergency meeting today to consider declaring a global health emergency.