Deadly virus in China not affecting McCarran airport travel

McCarran International Airport is not taking special precautions as a result of the deadly coronavirus outbreak circulating mostly in China.

There are no direct flights to Las Vegas from Wuhan, the Chinese city hardest hit by the outbreak, an airport spokesman confirmed Wednesday.

But the airport has placed at security checkpoints flyers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerting travelers to the potential risk of contracting the illness in China, said McCarran spokesman Joe Rajchel.

The flyers advise travelers in Wuhan not to visit animal markets, touch live or dead animals, handle uncooked meat or “be near sick people.” They recommend that anyone who becomes sick in Wuhan, or within two weeks of leaving, “call a doctor and tell them you were in Wuhan.”

The flyers also state: “Don’t travel while sick.”

The Southern Nevada Health District has provided community medical providers with an update on the outbreak from the CDC to foster awareness, spokeswoman Jennifer Sizemore said.

Martha Framsted, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, said in email, “As with any respiratory viral illness, it is recommended to practice good health hygiene habits by covering your cough, perform frequent handwashing, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, and stay home while you are ill.”

The U.S. on Tuesday reported its first case of the virus, saying a Washington state resident who returned last week from the outbreak’s epicenter was hospitalized near Seattle.

Contact Mary Hynes at mhynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 on Twitter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.