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Italy to airlift citizens from virus-hit Chinese city
ROME, Jan 29, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The Italian government said Wednesday it was
sending a plane to evacuate citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the
epicentre of a deadly SARS-like virus.
The foreign ministry said the aircraft, which will be carrying a medical
team, would depart Thursday “once all the necessary authorisations have been
obtained from the Chinese authorities”.
It did not say how many Italians would be airlifted out, or whether they
would be placed in quarantine, though those transported home would have to
follow “a protocol laid out by the health ministry”.
Between 60 and 70 Italians are currently in Wuhan according to media,
though the Corriere della Sera and Repubblica dailies said that not all of
them wanted to be evacuated.
The Italian foreign ministry advises against all travel to Hubei province
due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, which has killed 132 people and
infected around 6,000.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1921 hrs