Mar 13, 2020: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) reported that an individual associated with an ANC cargo flight tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The patient, who is a foreign national, developed a fever and respiratory symptoms soon after arriving in Anchorage on March 11. After contacting the physician, the patient was sent to Alaska Regional Hospital for testing.
The airport states that cargo flights strictly adhere to guidelines set out by the US Federal Aviation Administration and the US Department of Health and Human Services. “Cargo flights are completely separate from any passenger flights at ANC. Cargo crewmembers never come into contact with general passengers and they do not access the main terminal. Cargo crewmembers are cleared through US Customs and Border Protection agents at ANC’s North Terminal,” asserted the airport authorities through a media release.
Cargo is not considered a health risk according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the United States associated with imported goods. Information will be provided on the CDC’s 2019 Novel Coronavirus website as it becomes available.
