Starting Sunday, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport will be one of seven major United States airports handling all flights from China amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The United States declared a public health emergency on Friday and President Donald Trump signed an order barring entry to foreign nationals who visited China within the last 14 days, which scientists say is the virus' longest incubation period. People who have been in Wuhan - the center of the outbreak - in the last 14 days are subject to quarantine.
Any U.S. citizen who has been in the rest of mainland China will be screened at either O'Hare or one of six other U.S. airports. The other airports are in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Honolulu, Los Angeles and Atlanta.
Public health officials announced Jan. 24 that a Chicago woman who had traveled to O'Hare from Wuhan was diagnosed with the coronavirus. Health officials confirmed the woman's husband was diagnosed with the virus the following week. Both were listed in good condition at AMITA Health St. Alexius Hospital in Hoffman Estates.
The State Department previously issued a warning alerting Americans not to travel to China as a result of the outbreak. Major airlines including Delta, American and United also canceled all flights to mainland China until further notice.
On Saturday, the Center for Disease Control announced an eighth confirmed case of the coronavirus in the U.S. was found in Boston.
