The South African embassy in Beijing has called on its travelling citizens in China to register their presence with it in order to provide an accurate figure of their numbers in the Coronavirus-hit country, APA learnt on Tuesday.
The call follows advice from the South African Ministry of Health for the embassy to keep a close watch on developments in China following the declaration of the coronavirus outbreak as a global health emergency by the UN World Health Organisation last week.
Giving an update on developments concerning the contagious disease, the ministry said in a statement the registration of travellers was on a voluntary basis, however.
The ministry said it had received a report from the country’s mission in China, which gave a situational update of the state of affairs in the Asian country.
“The report has been reassuring in that it outlines in detail the steps that have been taken by the mission itself, China, and the international community — including the private sector — in managing the outbreak and the adverse socio-economic sequelae thereof,” the ministry said.
Within China, limited movement remains important. As a result, the Chinese school holidays have been extended to keep children at home.
“We have been notified of 34 students, who recently graduated in Hubei Province and are currently unable to leave due to the province currently being under lockdown.
“However, due to the extension of the holidays and China’s commitments to supporting embassies and their respective citizens during the lockdown period, we remain confident that our students will be well taken care of, until such time they may be allowed to exit Hubei Province,” the ministry said.
The office reiterated that to date, no South Africans in China have been reported to have contracted the Coronavirus.
NM/jn/APA