About 350 Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China -- the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak -- arrived at Travis Air Force Base early Wednesday and some remained at the base under a 14-day quarantine, officials with the Centers for Disease Control said.
Two flights carrying the passengers from China as part of a U.S. Department of State chartered evacuation landed at the base in Fairfield, the first at about 3 a.m.
A total of 178 passengers on one of the flights remained at the air base and will be quarantined there for 14 days. Passengers on the other flight continued on to Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego after the plane refueled at Travis.
Passengers on that flight will be quarantined at the Marine air station for 14 days.
Officials with the CDC said Wednesday more flights from Wuhan, China, would be arriving at Travis and other designated U.S. bases this week.
U.S. officials late Thursday said one of two Department of State chartered evacuation flights from Wuhan are scheduled to refuel at Travis Air Force Base before continuing on to Omaha, Nebraska via Lackland Air Force Base.
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The other flight is headed to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in Southern California from Vancouver.
The quarantines are meant to protect others from the spread of the novel coronavirus, which broke out initially in Wuhan and has spread to the U.S.
Four people in the Bay Area have been diagnosed with the disease. Two cases were reported in San Benito County and two in Santa Clara County.
The people diagnosed in San Benito County are being treated at a hospital affiliated with the University of California at San Francisco, university health officials confirmed.
In addition, five workers at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose were sent home after being exposed to the virus, Santa Clara County officials said Tuesday.
In China, more than 24,000 cases of the virus have been reported, and nearly 500 people have died.
Travelers from Wuhan who will be staying at least temporarily at Travis Air Force Base will be lodging at the base's Westwind Inn.
The inn will be cordoned off to protect the privacy of the evacuees and to protect the service personnel at the air base, according to military officials.
The 14-day quarantine will be managed by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, military officials said. Health and Human Services personnel will be responsible for all care, security and transportation for the evacuees.
Travis Air Force Base is only providing housing at this time, according to officials at the air base.
Travis Air Force Base is one of four bases that have been selected by the Department of Health and Human Services to house evacuees coming to the U.S. due to the coronavirus. The others are Miramar in San Diego, Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska.
