BEIJING (BLOOMBERG) – Airports and airlines are taking steps to protect staff and passengers amid heightened concern over the outbreak of a new virus originating from the Chinese city of Wuhan.

At least nine people have died and hundreds more have been infected, including the first confirmed case in the United States.

The level of alarm is rising as the coronavirus spreads. China said it will conduct nationwide screening and improve monitoring of transportation links for the Chinese New Year holidays, which start at the end of this week. That complicates efforts to contain the virus as hundreds of millions of people travel during the period, the biggest annual migration of humans on the planet.

People found to have symptoms such as fever at travel checkpoints are being stopped from boarding planes and trains.

Here’s a look at how airports and airlines around the world are reacting:

SINGAPORE

Changi Airport is increasing surveillance on all passengers from China, rather than just those arriving from Wuhan.

Low-cost carrier Scoot said it has made arrangements to distribute a health advisory to all passengers arriving from Wuhan.

Disinfectants, hand sanitisers and surgical masks are being supplied on all China flights. Scoot said it has an aircraft disinfection protocol in place for flights where suspected cases have been reported.

HONG KONG

The city’s Airport Authority said planes arriving from Wuhan – roughly a two-hour flight away – will be parked at a designated area and that a cleaning contractor will disinfect the terminal where passengers are arriving from the city, which is the capital of Hubei province.

Cleaning and disinfection in the airport will also be stepped up as a whole, it said.

Flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, in response to complaints from its cabin crew union about risk of “catastrophic” infection, on Wednesday (Jan 22) said staff could wear protective face masks on flights to China if they wanted. The airline is also waiving rebooking, rerouting and refund charges for all tickets issued before Jan 21 for travel to or from Wuhan between Jan 21 and Feb 15.

SOUTH KOREA

Korean Air Lines Co. is providing hazardous-materials suits for crew on planes and plans to disinfect aircraft flying to Wuhan daily, as opposed to monthly.

South Korea had its first confirmed infection on Monday.

JAPAN

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the country will step up quarantine and testing.

INDIA

Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharak International Airport has increased surveillance measures.

Delhi Airport staff are checking inbound passengers from affected areas, it said in a statement.

AUSTRALIA

Health authorities will help staff monitor travellers returning from Wuhan.

BRITAIN

Heathrow spokesman Weston Macklem said the airport was awaiting instructions from public health authorities.

British Airways Plc said it’s monitoring the situation closely.

UNITED STATES

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US implemented health screening for arrivals at airports in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles on Jan 17, and is expanding that to Atlanta and Chicago this week.

CDC said it is closely monitoring the outbreak and there are ongoing investigations into the “rapidly evolving situation”.

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