France set to evacuate citizens from virus-hit Chinese city

0
94

Paris, Jan 28 (AFP/APP): France on Thursday will send a plane to start evacuating its citizens from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the centre of a coronavirus scare, in the first repatriations by a European country.

Some 500 to 1,000 French citizens are eligible for repatriation, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn told a press conference, though not all are keen to be pulled out from the zone as authorities said the virus has infected thousands and killed 106 so far.

The first plane will likely return to France late Friday or early Saturday, Buzyn said.

Those on it will be brought to a holding facility in Paris, where they will stay for 14 days — the estimated virus incubation period — to ensure they do not carry the virus and cannot pass it on to others.

Those displaying symptoms, which are similar to the flu and include a fever, will be hospitalised immediately.

Deputy transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari told CNews television the flight would bring only passengers “who do not have any symptoms” of illness.

A second plane to bring home “people who may be carrying the virus” is planned but no date has yet been set, he said.

“Several planes will follow,” added Buzyn, so as not to mix potentially infected people with healthy ones on the same flight.

The Chinese government has sealed off Wuhan and neighbouring cities, effectively trapping tens of millions of people, including thousands of foreigners, in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.

Modi responsible for India-Pakistan tensions: Swati

 

Leave a reply