Second plane of evacuees from China lands in France

Thirty different nationalities arrived in France on Sunday aboard a second plane returning from China’s Wuhan city as French officials continue to evacuate its citizens from the epicenter of the coronavirus.

A plane carrying French nationals repatriated from Wuhan in China amid the new coronavirus outbreak, landed at Istres Air Base near Marseille. Reuters/Olivier Favre

“There are many Europeans, 29 different nationalities, 30 with French nationality,” said Jean-Yves le Drian, France's minister of foreign affairs.

“We have assumed our responsibility in the sharing and solidarity with Europeans. The majority of them were brought back to their country of origin immediately upon their arrival in France," he added.

Le Drian hailed Chinese authoritites for assisting the departures of all French nationals who wanted to leave.

All diplomatic personnel, however, are not back in France. “If by chance there are difficult cases suspected, a medical plane will be sent,” he added the minister.

For now, the second group of evacuees will be under surveillance in the south of France where a quarantine centre has been set up.

First batch of evacuees

On Saturday, the first plane sent to evacuate the first round of mainly French nationals and their spouses returned to France in the south, near Marseille.

The 179 evacuees have been sent to quarantine at a sea-side base in Carry-le-Rouet, 30 kilometres from Marseille for the next two weeks.

The isolated site is in the middle of a pine forest. There, the evacuees must continuously wear a mask and undergo regular medical checks supervised by a team of 20 doctors, nurses and psychologists.

Coronavirus in France and abroad

On Friday, six cases of coronavirus were confirmed in France, the first European country to be affected by the virus.

A map from Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering follows coronavirus cases across the world.

It collects data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organisation, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Chinese website DXY, which aggregates data from China's National Health Commission and the CCDC.

Map updates new cases globally of Coronavirus John Hopkins CSSE

The results populate a worldwide view of coronavirus cases in real time.

(with AFP)