Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


First Foreign Nationals Evacuate China as US Reportedly Mulls Ban on China
Flights

VOA News

   The first evacuations of foreign nationals from China took place
   Wednesday as the U.S. reportedly considers banning all airline flights
   between the two countries.

   White House officials reportedly told U.S. airline executives at a
   meeting Tuesday the administration has not decided yet to impose a ban,
   but it is continuing to assess the situation.

   U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in response to a reporter's
   question Wednesday about whether a broad travel ban to China is being
   considered, "The State Department constantly evaluates the risk to
   travelers." He added, "We will evaluate it on a continuous basis,
   literally hour by hour."

   As the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose to 132 peopleand
   the number of confirmed cases increased to more than 6,000, surpassing
   China's 2002-03 SARS outbreak, the pace of evacuations from mainland
   China increased.

   A U.S. chartered jet took about 200 Americans from Wuhan, China,to
   Anchorage, Alaska, where they each passed a rescreening before
   continuing to the western U.S. state of California.

   Another chartered jet flew 206 Japanese nationals from Wuhan, the
   epicenter of the virus, to Tokyo's Haneda airport Wednesday. Japanese
   officials told reporters in Tokyo that 12 of the passengers were taken
   to a hospital after complaining of feeling ill.Medical personnel were
   on board the flight to screen the passengers before takeoff and again
   when the plane landed.

   Japanese officials also said it was sending a second charter flight
   Wednesday evening to evacuate more nationals from Wuhan.

   Australia, New Zealand, France, Russia and other nations also have
   announced plans to evacuate their citizens out of Wuhan this week.

.