Cruise passengers exposed to coronavirus will be quarantined in Alabama The Americans will be housed at the FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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6:00. JEFF: GOOD EVENING, I’M JEFF ELIASOPH. PEOPLE WITH CONFIRMED CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS ARE EXPECTED TO BE QUARANTINED. CHIP SCARBOROUGH REPORTS FROM ANISTON WHERE THERE IS GROWING CONCERN. CHIP: CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS SAY THEY WERE TOTALLY CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT QUARANTINED CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS WILL BE BROUGHT HERE TO ANNISTON. THOSE LEADERS SAY THEY’RE NOW EXPLORING WHAT LEGAL OPTIONS THEY CAN TAKE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. PASSENGERS WHO WERE ABOARD THE DIAMOND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP IN JAPAN AND TESTED POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE FEMA CENTER IN ANNISTON. THIS IS PART OF A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN FEMA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. DHS SAYS SOME OF THE PEOPLE HAVE MILD FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS WHILE OTHERS DON’T HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS AT ALL. ANY OF THE PATIENTS WHO BECOME SERIOUSLY ILL WHILE AT THE FEMA CENTER FOR DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS WILL BE TRANSPORTED TO VARIOUS HOSPITALS FOR CARE. >> THIS WAS SOLELY AGREED UPON AND DETERMINED BY TWO FEDERAL AGENCIES. WE WERE NOT CONSULTED IN ANY FASHION. CHIP: DHS SAYS ANYONE BEING BROUGHT HERE TO THE FEMA CENTER WILL BE KEPT AWAY FROM ANYONE ELSE ON THE PROPERTY. IT’S NOT CLEAR HOW MANY PATIENTS WILL BE BROUGHT HERE OR WHEN THEY’LL ARRIVE. IN ANNISTON, CHIP SCARBOROUGH, WVTM 13. JEFF: FASCINATING DEVELOPMENT. MORE ALABAMA IMPACT FROM THE CORONAVIRUS. THE ALABAMA PORT AUTHORITY SAYS 4 CHINESE SHIPS THAT NORMALLY DOCK AT THE PORT OF MOBILE EACH WEEK MAY NOT ENOUGH CARGO TO DO SO, WITH SO MANY CHINESE FACTORIES CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS FREIGHT SHIPMENTS ARE STALLED. ALABAMA PORT AUTHORITY CEO JIMMY LYONS WORRIES THIS COULD LEAD TO A MAJOR RECESSION. >> WE CAN SEE SOME INTERRUPTION, AND IT’S LIKE A DOMINO EFFECT. ONE THING HAPPENS, CAUSES ANOTHER TO HAPPEN, CAUSES ANOTHER TO HAPPEN. JEFF: THE CORONAVIRUS HAS KILLED MORE THAN 2,300 PEOPLE AND INFECTED MORE THAN 76,000 OTHERS MOSTLY IN CHINA. THE NUMBER OF CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS IN NORTHERN ITALY HAS RISEN TO 51. ITALIAN OFFICIALS ALSO CONFIRMED THAT A SECOND PERSON HAS DIED AFTER CONTRACTING THE VIRU

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