Egypt to repatriate citizens living in coronavirus-stricken Wuhan

CAIRO – 1 February 2020: The state-owned flag carrier of Egypt, EgyptAir will send a private plane on Sunday to China to repatriate Egyptians residing in Wuhan, the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak.

EgyptAir’s officials said in press statements that the plane has on board a comprehensive medical team picked by the Egyptian ministry of health, and will be expected by Cairo International Airport’s quarantine upon arriving.

The plane can have 300 passengers along with the crew.

Egyptian cabinet’s spokesperson, Nader Sa’ad, said on Saturday that the repatriation of Egyptians living in China has been discussed during the latest cabinet’s meetings. He added that no Egyptian living in China has been reported to have coronavirus.

Sa’ad pointed out that the returning Egyptians will be quarantined for up to 14 days- believed to be the virus incubation period- also those who dealt with them since they entered the private plane will be subject to a medical examination.

The Chinese authorities announced on Saturday that the virus death toll has jumped to 259, while other countries such as Australia and the United States imposed restrictions on the entry of foreigners who have visited China lately.

China's Hubei provincial government has extended the Lunar New Year holiday break to Feb. 13 as it seeks to curb the coronavirus outbreak that emerged from the province's capital of Wuhan, the Hubei Daily reported on Saturday.

24 states have reported cases of the growing virus, however, most of the infected are in China.