Spanish Evacuees Expected To Fly Out Of China Tonight

The Chinese city of Wuhan has been on lock-down since last Wednesday, after the rapid spread of a virus which was first reported to the World Health Organisation almost a month ago.

With a growing number of airlines are taking cautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus by including cancelling flights and offering travel-change waivers.

The Spanish consulate in China make a desperate scramble to return Spanish nationals stranded in Wuhan.

As the deadly coronavirus intensifies and alarm grows worldwide, it’s expected that later tonight, Thursday, the Spanish nationals will fly home on an aircraft chartered by Britain. The plane, which is owned by the Spanish airline Wamos, is currently in Hanoi (Vietnam) and is expected to land in Wuhan later today.

According to the consulate, it’s expected that the evacuees, some 20 or so Spaniards, will fly out either late Thursday or in the early hours tomorrow (Friday) however, as Euro Weekly News understands, local officials still have to authorise the operation.

Chinese health authorities will screen passengers and hold back anyone showing symptoms of the disease

The plane is due to stop in the UK to re-fuel however, passengers will not be allowed off the plane and once in Spain, the evacuated Spaniards will spend their first 14 days back in the country in isolation at a Madrid hospital.

According to the Spanish Health Ministry the quarantined evacuees will have an entire hospital floor to themselves, where they will be able to receive some visits and wear their own clothes. There will also be a playroom, as authorities are expecting to repatriate several children from the epicentre of the outbreak.