The United States (US) Department of State, on Sunday, said it will evacuate personnel from its Wuhan consulate to the United States and will offer a limited number of seats to private US citizens on a flight out of the epicentre of China’s coronavirus outbreak. “This capacity is extremely limited and if there is insufficient ability to transport everyone who expresses interest, priority will be given to individuals at greater risk from coronavirus,” said the statement. Wuhan, a city of 11 million people in central China, is in virtual lockdown following a deadly outbreak of a new coronavirus that emerged there at the end of last year. Other countries, including France and Australia, have said they are considering options to get their citizens out of Wuhan. China’s foreign ministry in a statement issued on Saturday said it is making arrangements and providing assistance to the US government to facilitate the evacuation.

Source: Nigerian Tribune January 26, 2020 14:48 UTC