Hundreds of foreign nationals are being evacuated from Wuhan, the centre of China’s coronavirus outbreak, as more deaths and cases were confirmed. Australia plans to quarantine its evacuees on Christmas island 2,000km (1,200 miles) from the mainland.
Japan, the US and the EU are also repatriating their citizens. British Airways has suspended all flights to and from mainland China, as the UK’s Foreign Office warned against “all but essential travel” there. Several other airlines have taken similar measures.
United Airlines and Cathay Pacific are restricting flights, while Lion Air – one of the region’s biggest airlines – is stopping flights to China from Saturday. Cathay Pacific has also suspended inflight trolley services, changed some aspects of its meal offer, and stopped giving out hot towels, pillows, blankets and magazines in an effort to prevent the virus spreading.
