NZ, Singapore evacuate citizens from Wuhan, China

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) - New Zealand and Singapore on Thursday started evacuating citizens from Wuhan, China, the center of the coronavirus outbreak.

“The government will charter an Air New Zealand aircraft, with a capacity for around 300 people, to assist Kiwis leaving coronavirus-hit Wuhan,” local media outlet Stuff news quoted New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters as saying.

Any seats not taken by Kiwis would be offered to Pacific Island and Australian citizens as a matter of priority, Peters said.

Officials will be working for isolation of all passengers arriving in New Zealand for up to two weeks, Stuff news reported.

A total of 92 Singaporeans were also evacuated from Wuhan on Thursday morning, Singapore’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Ninety-two Singaporeans will arrive in Singapore from Wuhan, Hubei, via Scoot flight, TR121, this morning," read the statement.

“The returning Singaporeans will undergo medical screening upon arrival at Changi Airport. Those with fever or respiratory symptoms will be taken to designated hospitals for further examination, while the remaining passengers ... will be quarantined for 14 days.”

The coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, has caused at least 170 deaths in China, while 7,711 cases of pneumonia caused by the virus have been confirmed.

The novel coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV, has reportedly spread to every province of China and beyond its borders to countries including Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Thailand, the U.S., Canada, Singapore, France, Malaysia, Australia, India, Philippines, and Vietnam.

Travelers from China are being screened for the virus at airports worldwide and several airlines have suspended flights to Wuhan.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Emergency Committee will also reconvene on Thursday to assess the situation.

The committee is expected to decide whether the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and present recommendations to manage its spread.