Originally Posted by
CDTraveler
I agree with you in that it is reasonable and appropriate to quarantine a sick person arriving by air until a determination is made as to what is causing their illness and what risk they pose to the general public.
However as I was reading this thread I was listening a radio piece on the CDC and this new virus. As of today (1/18/2020), the CDC is still working to develop a test to identify the specific virus that appears to have emerged in Wuhan.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html gives the most current update on this situation and precautions being taken.
CDC laboratories currently have the capacity to detect 2019-nCoV by sequencing the virus and comparing the sequences against the genetic sequence that are publicly posted. CDC also is using the genetic sequence data provided by China to begin work on a test to detect this virus more easily. Currently, testing for this virus must take place at CDC.
No currently available fast test but identification is possible. I still believe quarantine is a reasonable precaution in suspected cases.