Sick Person in Los Angeles Sent to Hospital for Precautionary Coronavirus Screening

People arrive to Los Angeles International Airport after touchdown of an Air China flight from Beijing, which serves as a connector from Wuhan, China to Los Angeles, on the first day of health screenings for coronavirus of travelers from Wuhan, on Jan. 18, 2020. David McNew/Getty Images

A passenger who arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with symptoms of an illness potentially resembling coronavirus was sent for precautionary testing.

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus has sickened scores of people in China and has since spread to the United States and other countries.

The passenger landed on American Airlines flight 2456 from Mexico City, an airport spokesperson told The Epoch Times. The person, who was traveling with relatives, had flu-like symptoms and was sent for testing.

The person landed around 6:30 p.m on Wednesday night.

“Early this morning, sometime after midnight, that person was transferred to a hospital in LA after the CDC and local health officials decided that that person should go to the hospital for precautionary screening,” the spokesman said.

The situation was treated the same as any other health emergency, he said.

LAX was was one of five airports in the United States screening passengers from China for coronavirus. The first case in the country was reported this week in Washington state.

Passengers wear protective masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus as they arrive at the Los Angeles International Airport, California, on Jan. 22, 2020. Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

Airport officials cautioned reporters about connections with the coronavirus. After an NBC reporter claimed that the person was “quarantined at the airport after showing symptoms of contagious and dangerous coronavirus,” the airport stated on social media: “This is not the information provided by the airport.”

“One passenger overnight was taken to the hospital for a precautionary evaluation. We refer you to CDC for additional information,” the airport said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) didn’t respond to The Epoch Times by the press deadline.

The possible case came after health officers in Los Angeles County said there were no reported coronavirus cases in L.A. county.

“To date, there have been no reported coronavirus cases in LA County and currently the risk of local transmission is low according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We will keep everyone informed as more information becomes available. We are urging the public to remain calm, as it is very unlikely that they are at risk of contracting this virus,” Barbara Ferrer, director of the county Department of Public Health, said in a statement.

People traveling into the county who displayed symptoms, including having a fever or respiratory illness, would be screened, tested, and cared for, Ferrer’s office said.

“Travelers who have visited Wuhan City who are not ill upon their arrival to the LA County are advised to contact a healthcare provider and seek care if they become ill while here. While there is no cure for this virus, hospital partners and clinical providers are able to test and care for ill travelers to minimize transmission and treatment for symptoms,” the office stated.

“We want to underscore that there is no need to exclude anyone who has traveled to or from Wuhan City, or China in general, unless they are symptomatic, at which time they should seek a medical evaluation.”

Symptoms include fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing.