Two patients hospitalized Wednesday with symptoms of the coronavirus were not found to be carrying the disease, Russia's Health Ministry was cited as saying by the state-run TASS news agency.

The two men had sparked a medical scare after arriving at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport on a flight from Shanghai with symptoms of the deadly virus.

Russian airports have stepped up screenings of travelers from China after hundreds of people were infected in an outbreak of the virus, with 17 reported deaths. Russia’s deputy health minister called the disease a biological threat to the country earlier this week.