ZCZC
BFF-28
CHINA-HEALTH-VIRUS-BRITAIN-AVIATION
Britain charters final Wuhan evacuation flight
LONDON, Feb 5, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Britain will charter what it said was a
“second and final” flight this weekend to evacuate nationals from China’s
Hubei province, the epicentre of the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak.
The civilian aircraft will leave Hubei’s capital Wuhan on Sunday bound for
the Royal Air Force base at Brize Norton in southern England.
Medics and Foreign Office officials will be on board to provide support if
necessary.
“We have been working round the clock to help British nationals leave Hubei
province, on UK, French and New Zealand flights,” said Foreign Secretary
Dominic Raab.
“The Foreign Office is chartering a second and final UK flight with space
to help all British nationals and their dependants remaining in Hubei to
leave.
“I encourage all British nationals in Hubei to register with our teams if
they want to leave on this flight.”
Britain has advised all its nationals in China to leave.
Some 83 British citizens returned from Wuhan on a UK government-chartered
flight from Wuhan to Brize Norton on Friday.
They were then sent into 14 days’ isolation at a medical facility in
northwest England.
So far, there have been two confirmed cases in Britain, two relatives who
had recently been to China.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC television that the pair remained in
quarantine.
“There are two cases only here in the UK but we do expect more, so we are
taking no chances,” he added.
Hancock said people returning from China would not be quarantined and
should instead “self-isolate” at home and call medics if they show symptoms
rather than go to a hospital, for fear of spreading the virus.
Eight British nationals and six of their family members left China on a
flight to New Zealand on Tuesday.
More than 24,000 people have been infected in China. The virus has already
killed nearly 500 people.
BSS/AFP/RY/1530 hrs