200 Georgians In Self-Quarantine To Watch For Coronavirus Signs

ATLANTA, GA — Nearly 200 Georgia residents who have recently traveled to China are self-monitoring for symptoms of the deadly new coronavirus, state health officials said Tuesday.

The residents are under self-quarantine, which allows them to stay at home for two weeks, the period experts say is needed to develop the disease. So far, no one in Georgia has shown any symptoms of the virus, officials said.

The new respiratory virus — now officially named COVID-19 — was first identified in December in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, none of the 200 Georgia residents visited that province but did travel to other parts of China.

The DPH said Customs and Border Protection workers send a daily list of names of Georgia travelers coming from China. Their epidemiologists contact the travelers by phone to establish a plan for self-monitoring and to provide instructions on how to contact the DPH before seeking health care if they develop fever, cough or shortness of breath.

Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has temporarily suspended all U.S.-China flights through April 30 due to ongoing concerns related to the new coronavirus. In late January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began public health entry screening at airports in San Francisco, Kennedy in New York, Los Angeles, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Currently, there have been about 45,000 confirmed coronavirus cases globally and more than 1,100 deaths. About 390 cases have been confirmed across 25 other countries, and there are at least 13 confirmed cases in the U.S. in Washington, Arizona, Massachusetts, Illinois, and California, according to the CDC.

Information on how the virus behaves is minimal, and health officials are working to learn how easily it can spread from person to person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has described the virus as an "emerging, rapidly evolving situation" and acknowledged there were many questions that still need to be answered.

The CDC says the overall risk of coronavirus to the general public is low. Still, the best way to prevent infection from this or any other respiratory virus is:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Learn more about the outbreak on the CDC website.