The South African cabinet has decided to evacuate the country’s citizens from the Coronavirus-hit Wuhan city in Hubei Province of China, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa here Friday.
The evacuation follows requests from the families of South Africans living in the city, the president said.
There are nearly 200 South Africans in Wuhan, the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation said. It said 132 individuals have expressed the desire to be repatriated home.
“These compatriots are currently living under lockdown conditions following the outbreak of Coronavirus,” Ramaphosa said.
He revealed that none of the affected individuals has been diagnosed with the virus and have not exhibited any symptoms of the disease.
“Upon arrival in South Africa, they will be placed in quarantine for 21 days as an additional precautionary measure,” Ramaphosa said.
Over 2,000 people have died from Covid 19 in China alone, with reported deaths in other countries outside the Asian country as the virus keeps on spreading worldwide since its outbreak became known in January this year.
The World Health Organisation has appealed to all countries to prepare the ground for the Covid 19’s possible arrival in their territories in order to lessen the number of fatalities.
NM/jn/APA