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The US has reported its first case of the deadly Wuhan coronavirus.


Here's how to protect yourself while traveling.

Image result for Here's how to protect yourself while traveling."

The United States reported on Tuesday its first fatal coronavirus case from Wuhan, China.
Hundreds of millions of people are expected to travel to China for the Lunar New Year, which increases the risk of its spread. It can be transmitted between humans.

Health experts recommend a few precautions to protect you while on the go.

Visit the Business Insider home page for more stories.

Two weeks ago, Chinese medical authorities reported a mysterious new coronavirus in Wuhan, the most populous city in central China.

The first case was reported in the United States on Tuesday. So far, the virus has infected about 300 people and killed six.

At first, the authorities suspected that the coronavirus, probably originating from a seafood market, could not spread from animals to humans. But they have since confirmed that humans can spread the virus.

The coronavirus family is a large group of viruses that generally affect the airways. Coronaviruses can cause illnesses like the common cold, pneumonia, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a life-threatening disease that caused 8,000 cases and 774 deaths in China between November 2002 and July 2003.

The timing of the new epidemic is particularly worrying, as hundreds of millions of people are expected to travel to China for the Lunar New Year, which begins on Saturday and lasts until February 8.

"Travel spreads this type of virus like wildfire," Adrian Hyzler, medical director of Healix International, which offers risk management solutions to international travelers, told Business Insider. "I think we're going to see cases popping up in cities around the world."

Here's how to stay safe in flight.

Before the Wuhan virus reached the US, it had already started to spread across Asia.

Image result for Before the Wuhan virus reached the US, it had already started to spread across Asia."
South Korea, Japan and Taiwan each have one confirmed case and two cases have been reported from Thailand.

On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that a man in his thirties who lives in Snohomish County, north of Seattle, Washington, has contracted the virus. The man had recently returned from a trip to China and is now in good health.

"I think it is commendable that the Chinese authorities identified this quickly," said Hyzler. "There seems to be good information sharing."

Passengers traveling to the US from Wuhan will be rerouted to one of five airports.

Image result for Passengers traveling to the US from Wuhan will be rerouted to one of five airports."

The CDC announced Tuesday that five US airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, San Francisco International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and l Chicago O'Hare International Airport will begin screening passengers for the virus.

Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and South Korea airports also control passenger fever.
"Screening is a very imperfect tool, but it is the only tool we have to try to prevent the importation of a disease," Eric Toner, senior scientist at Johns Hopkins University, told Business Insider.

Travelers should avoid close contact with people who are sick particularly those with cold symptoms.

Image result for Travelers should avoid close contact with people who are sick particularly those with cold symptoms."Some people who have contracted Wuhan virus have reported symptoms such as fever, chills, headache and sore throat. A few said they had difficulty breathing.

Travelers should try to avoid contact with people who have symptoms similar to pneumonia or the common cold, such as a cough or a runny nose.

"What we don't know is how far this disease can be transmitted by people who are only mildly ill," said Toner. "This is one of the things we are trying to understand right now."

Wearing a mask isn't particularly helpful, Toner said.

Image result for Wearing a mask isn't particularly helpful, Toner said."
Many people in China lined up to buy face masks, which have reportedly started to sell in some stores. But Toner doesn't think a mask will do much to protect anyone's health.

"There is little harm," he said. "But wearing masks, except in the case of a healthcare professional, has never been shown to be a very effective way to protect yourself from infectious diseases."

The CDC warns travelers not to touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

Image result for The CDC warns travelers not to touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands."

Travelers should wash their hands frequently with soap and water, making sure to scrub for at least 20 seconds, according to the CDC. There is no vaccine to protect humans from contracting a coronavirus.

"There is no cure for this virus," said Hyzler. "If there is a vaccine, it will take years."

If you're traveling to China, steer clear of live animals.


Although scientists have traced the Wuhan virus to a local seafood market with live animals, they do not yet know which animal has spread the virus to humans.

Recent research suggests that the SARS virus in China could spread to humans from horseshoe bats.
"Since SARS, there have been calls to improve or close the live animal markets in China," said Toner. "There are a lot of things we don't know yet, but it's fair to say that live animal markets are a threat not only to the people who work there, but to public health in general."

If you do become ill after traveling to China, report your symptoms to a health authority right away.


Toner said sick people who have recently visited China should talk to their doctor about their travel history.

But restricting travel to areas that already have virus cases is unlikely to be effective, he added.
"I think they are doing the right things," he said of the Chinese government's response. "They check patients or arriving passengers. They try to educate them to make sure they are receiving care. They try to isolate them as soon as they start to get sick. These are things that prevent transmission."

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