A passenger at Metro Airport was taken to a hospital early Tuesday with a suspected case of coronavirus, airport officials said.

"This morning, a passenger arriving on a flight to Detroit Metropolitan Airport was discovered to be ill during the enhanced screening process," Detroit Metro Airport spokeswoman Lisa Gass said in a Tuesday email to The Detroit News.

Update: DTW traveler taken to hospital not suspected of coronavirus

"The Wayne County Airport Authority’s Fire Department transported the passenger to a local hospital for further testing. We are unable to provide any flight details."

The hospital wasn't identified.

The announcement comes as Wayne County health officials were gearing up for the potential arrival of people exposed to the novel coronavirus.

The airport said Monday that Detroit Metro is among 11 airports nationwide selected by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to receive flights from China.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will assess passengers arriving at the airport and determine their level of risk for becoming ill with the virus.

Once assessed by the CDC, it will be up to the Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veteran Services to transport them, if necessary, to locations where they can be quarantined or isolated.

Wayne County Department of Health spokesman Michael McElrath wouldn't say which local hospitals have been designated to accept passengers for testing.

kbouffard@detroitnews.com