Measures taken to detect coronavirus at airport

ISTANBUL

Passengers arriving from Far East countries were scanned by thermal cameras Tuesday at the Istanbul Airport as part of new measures taken by Turkey's Health Ministry against the coronavirus outbreak.

"We had nine flights in the morning from the Far East countries and our 1,963 passengers on these flights were scanned,” said Aykut Yener Kavak, chief physician of the Istanbul Airport .

He added that no one has recorded an elevated body temperature so far and the process will continue for all travelers coming from the Far East.

The coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has claimed 362 lives in China since its outbreak end of last year. More than 17,200 others have been infected by the epidemic believed to have been transmitted to humans from animals, particularly bats.

Besides China, the virus has spread to more than 24 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the U.S., France, Singapore,Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, India, Nepal, and Canada.

Travelers from China are being screened at airports worldwide and several airlines have suspended flights to Wuhan city, the epicenter of the virus.

Japan, South Korea, U.S., Australia, Pakistan, India, France, Germany, Indonesia, and Turkey evacuated their citizens from Wuhan.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin