UPDATED: HHS and CDC Receive Flight Carrying Repatriated US Citizens

This morning, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in collaboration with the Department of State received the flight carrying approximately 210 U.S. citizens from Wuhan at March Air Reserve Base in California.

The plane was met by a team of CDC medical officers deployed there to assess the health of the passengers.  The passengers have been screened, monitored and evaluated by medical personnel every step of the way, including before takeoff, during the flight, during a refueling in Anchorage, Alaska, and now post-arrival. CDC staff have conducted risk assessments to ensure the health of each traveler, including temperature checks and observing for respiratory symptoms.

CDC will work with the California Department of Public Health and Riverside County Public Health to transport any passenger exhibiting symptoms to a hospital for further evaluation. Passengers not exhibiting symptoms of exposure, will be asked to stay on the base in housing to allow CDC medical officers to perform more thorough screening and to better understand each individual’s exposure.

CDC is committed to protecting the health and safety of Americans. At this time, we continue to believe the risk of coronavirus exposure to the general public is low.  CDC is taking these measures to assess and care for these returning Americans to protect them, their loved ones, and their communities.

Visit 2019 novel coronavirus for the latest updates on CDC’s response.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.