WHAT ARE OTHER COUNTRIES DOING TO EVACUATE EXPATS? The US
The US State Department is organising a single flight out of Wuhan on Tuesday directly to San Francisco. It said in the event there are not enough seats, priority will be given to to individuals 'at greater risk from coronavirus' - those already showing symptoms.
Officials invited US citizens with a valid passport to contact the embassy in Beijing. Private citizens are expected to later repay the travel costs, the notice said. There are roughly 1,000 Americans living in and around the Wuhan area.
British
ex-pats and tourists stuck in Wuhan have begged officials to 'get us out of here', venting their frustrations at the Government's response so far.
ex-pats and tourists stuck in Wuhan have begged officials to 'get us out of here', venting their frustrations at the Government's response so far.
About 300 Britons who live in the city are growing increasingly anxious after the number of virus cases soared by 50 per cent in just 24 hours.
They accused the UK of dithering as it emerged the US, France, Spain and Japan had already organised evacuations for its citizens.
France
France's health minister Agnes Buzyn said officials will put 'hundreds' of citizens on a direct flight to the country later in the week. She said authorities were working on arranging a bus service to get the expats to the airport.
There are some 800 French citizens stranded in the Wuhan area. She said French nationals will be held in quarantine for two weeks on arrival to stop the virus spreading on home soil.
Japan
Japan said it planned to evacuate all of its citizens using chartered flights. It claimed it was in final discussions about the logistics with Chinese authorities. Some 430 Japanese nationals reside in or near Wuhan.
The government is also considering evacuation by road from Hubei Province, and have Japanese nationals take flights home from other places, according to Japanese media.
Spain
Spain’s foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez tweeted this morning that Spanish official are trying to evacuate 20 Spaniards stranded in Hubei province. She did not provide further details.
India
India has asked China if it can make arrangements for its expats to leave. It is not clear how and when India plans to evacuate its citizens if approval is granted. Around 250 Indians are still in Wuhan.
India
India has asked China if it can make arrangements for its expats to leave. It is not clear how and when India plans to evacuate its citizens if approval is granted. Around 250 Indians are still in Wuhan.
Thailand
The government is meeting today to discuss how to evacuate the 70 known expats living in Wuhan, most of whom are students. Air force commander ACM Manat Wongwat said that up to four planes with medical staff are on stand-by to evacuate its citizens in the coming days.
Sri Lanka
Officials have applied for a chartered plane to be allowed to land at Wuhan airport and pick up 32 Sri Lankan students and their family members stranded in the outbreak's epicentre.
Its foreign office also said it was working to bring back all other citizens living in the wider Hubei province. There are about 860 Sri Lankan students are in China.
Australia
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said her government is 'exploring all opportunities' to help with evacuation of a number of Australians reportedly in Wuhan. There are thought to be a small number of citizens living in the central Chinese city.
ٍSource : https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7933471/China-BLOCKING-Foreign-Office-airlifting-Britons-coronavirus-hit-Wuhan.html
Comments
Post a Comment