China coronavirus: Singapore, US and Japan carry out evacuations but other countries forced to wait
- Hundreds of citizens have been extracted from Chinese city of Wuhan but countries must now also address the challenge of screening and quarantine
- On the ground, there is some frustration among citizens of less powerful countries as they wait for China to give permission
Hundreds have returned home but governments must also now consider how to quarantine citizens potentially exposed as there are already more than 100 confirmed cases of infection outside mainland China.
Here’s how countries are approaching the task of extracting their citizens and thereafter preventing the spread of infections.
SINGAPORE
Those with a fever or respiratory symptoms were taken to designated hospitals for further examination, while the remaining passengers, including the MFA consular officers who facilitated the return, were to be quarantined for 14 days.
In a telephone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan expressed Singapore’s appreciation to the Chinese authorities for easing the Singaporeans’ return.
Scoot, the low-cost Singaporean airline, operated the flight.
“The health and safety of our employees and passengers were our highest priority for both the Singapore-Wuhan and Wuhan-Singapore flights,” an airline statement said. “Temperature screening was conducted at check-in and before boarding, and any passengers found to be febrile would not have been allowed to board.