1,200 passengers screened for coronavirus so far at Newark Liberty International Airport

New Jersey officials say that they will continue to prepare for ways to prevent the coronavirus as the death toll from the outbreak rises worldwide.
There are over 40,000 cases of the virus around the world, with at least 910 confirmed deaths. There are no cases of the virus in New Jersey, and state officials say that they want to keep it that way.
Newark Liberty International Airport has become one of 11 airports in the United States to accept American citizens arriving from China. Those passengers are receiving health screenings when they get off the plane. More than 1,200 passengers have been screened in the past week, according to New Jersey Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli.
Persichilli joined Sen. Bob Menendez and other officials on Monday to outline the steps that New Jersey is taking to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in the Garden State. The commissioner says that airport screenings are an important part of the effort.
“A travel history, a visual assessment of the traveler, identification of any symptomatology,” she says.
Coronavirus is highly contagious and can lead to pneumonia and organ failure.
Menendez says that health organizations should not let their guard down in order to prevent further spread of the virus. He also called on the federal government to increase funding to fight pandemics.
“The fact that there has been no significant spread of the coronavirus throughout New Jersey or the nation does not mean we should ignore this global health care challenge,” the senator said.
New Jersey has set up a coronavirus hotline for worried members of the public to get additional information about the virus from health care professionals.