Experts said the risk is low from imported goods because the virus cannot live more than a few hours outside a human host.
The Centers For Disease Control says on its website: "Because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures."
Dr Elizabeth McGraw, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Pennsylvania State University, said cardboard boxes are not a good breeding ground for germs such as the similar outbreaks of SARS and MERS.