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VALDOSTA — Coronavirus has become widespread in China and is working its way abroad.

With hundreds of Georgians being watched by officials for signs of the spreading coronavirus, South Georgia’s hospitals and doctors are taking precautions in case the disease enters the region.

Under the supervision of the Georgia Department of Public Health, about 200 people who have recently returned from China are self-monitoring for symptoms of novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, according to a statement from the public health department. These travelers arrived in the U.S. from mainland China outside Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, with no known high-risk exposure. These individuals are self-isolating at home.

Valdosta’s South Georgia Medical Center has a plan in place if coronavirus becomes a problem, said Scarlett Rivera, nurse and director of quality and infection prevention at the hospital.

“We have signs at all registration points asking people about their travels and highlighting the symptoms,” she said. “Our staff has been trained and we have plenty of space if we need to isolate people.”

SGMC has long been on the lookout for infectious diseases because Valdosta is a travel hub for church mission work, international students at Valdosta State University and airmen who deploy abroad through Moody Air Force Base, Rivera said.

The hospital has been working closely with Kenneth Lowery, the epidemiologist with the South Health District, she said.

Lowery said authorities have been funneling travelers from China’s Hubei province through specific airports, including Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, where they can be screened and advised as to self-monitoring for illness.

“Georgia is extremely prepared to handle coronavirus,” he said.

Hospitals in Adel and Tifton, part of the Southwell medical group, also have plans in place to handle novel coronavirus cases if necessary, said Dr. Guillermo Saurina, an infectious disease specialist who works for Southwell.

“We have plans in place for screening and isolation,” he said. “We haven’t seen any cases yet, but I believe it may be on the way.”

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.