WATCH: Airports beef up coronavirus screening for travellers

Durban - South Africans who have travelled to China in the past month said they had been subjected to screening when they arrived home.

Christelle Sewpersadh, who was teaching in China, said she was on holiday in the Philippines when the outbreak began. Sewpersadh returned to South Africa on February 5 and landed at OR Tambo International Airport. She said passengers were tested and scanned during their first stop in Singapore and again in Doha.

“In Johannesburg, officials came on board the plane and tested our temperatures and inside the airport we were tested again.”

A Pietermaritzburg woman, who was teaching in China, said that while on holiday in India the outbreak prevented her from returning to China and she was stranded for three days before heading back to South Africa.

The woman, who requested not to be named, said she was also tested and scanned when she arrived at Durban’s King Shaka International Airport.

“The officials asked people who had been to China in the past 14 days to step aside. After we filled out a form, they did a scan of the top of our bodies then took our temperatures,” she said.

The Mercury put up a poll on Facebook and asked if people who travelled abroad were screened upon their return. Most said they had been, with only one saying he had not been screened, in early January.

Darshan Naidoo:  "Travelled to malawi. Had to complete paperwork on arrival confirming I had not travelled to china and recent places of travel, and any symptoms of sickness. Arrival at ORT, temperature scanning was only done."

Danesh Sanker: "Returned from Bali Indonesia.King Shaka Airport.First called out all passengers arriving from different countries with reported vases.Then temperatures of all passengers taken."

The Mercury