(Yicai Global) Jan. 22 -- Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, the only civilian airport serving the central Chinese city where the new coronavirus outbreak started, identified a total of eight travelers with abnormal fevers since the evening of Jan. 15, when it began checking passenger temperatures, until yesterday, China Central Television reported.

They were all taken to the designated infectious disease hospital for tests, CCTV said, but did not disclose the results or the condition of the eight travelers. The airport has an average daily passenger flow of 85,000 during the peak Chinese New Year travel period.

Authorities installed 15 infrared thermometers at the entrances of Tianhe International Airport's Terminal 3 on Jan. 15, and added seven thermal detectors to cover the whole terminal on Jan. 20. The airport had taken the temperatures of over 480,000 passengers as of yesterday.

The Chinese government will take the strictest measures to prevent and control the epidemic from spreading in Hubei province and Wuhan city, Li Bin, deputy director of China's National Health Commission, said today.

Wuhan residents have been urged not to leave the city unless it is absolutely necessary or under special circumstances, in order to reduce the risk of virus mutation and transmission.

Editor: Peter Thomas