China virus outbreak prompts border screening procedures in Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia is checking the temperatures of passengers arriving in the country, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan said on Wednesday, January 22, in the wake of a new virus that has sickened nearly 440 people and killed nine in China.

A visa waiver agreement between Armenia and China entered into force on January 19.

Torosyan said that no problematic cases have been reported so far, and that there is no need to close the border or limit the passenger traffic.

The Minister said they will take all the necessary measures if need be and urged the public to follow official sources for information.

The outbreak is believed to have originated in the city of Wuhan in central China. The Chinese government’s confirmation that the new virus can be transmitted between people heightened fears it could spread faster and more widely just as millions of Chinese planned to travel for the Lunar New Year holiday. So far, the US, South Korea, Japan and Thailand have confirmed additional cases. Widening public health measures are intended to prevent a repeat of the 2002-2003 outbreak of SARS, which started in China and killed nearly 800 people.