Testing continues at LAX after coronavirus screener contracts virus
After a worker at Los Angeles International Airport became ill and later tested positive for the coronavirus, officials have tested other workers, according to a source familiar with the case.
So far, officials said no LAX passengers or other workers have tested positive for COVID-19, which has infected more than 50 people in California.
The worker was confirmed as having the virus Tuesday and so far has a mild case and has been isolated, the sources said. Family members of the person also have been tested.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security described the worker as a medical screener who “wore all the correct protective equipment and took necessary protections on the job.â€
“As soon as the individual began to feel sick, they self-quarantined, saw a physician, and reported to the appropriate authorities and officials,†a DHS spokesperson said in the statement.
The person is one of seven confirmed cases of coronavirus in Los Angeles County, which on Wednesday declared a local emergency amid the outbreak, hours before the entire state of California issued a similar order.
None of the new cases are believed to be “community spread,†officials said. All individuals were exposed to COVID-19 through close contact with others who were infected.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
