KEY POINTS

  • One of the flights is headed for Omaha, Nebraska
  • It will take a brief halt at Travis Air Force Base in California
  • Another flight will land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego where the evacuees will be screened for the virus

Two flights carrying evacuees from coronavirus-hit Wuhan, China, were scheduled to land in California on Friday.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S military were gearing up to receive the two state chartered evacuation flights, having at least 300 U.S citizens on board.

One of the aircraft will land at Travis Air Force Base in California for a brief refueling break and will head to Omaha, Nebraska, via Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Another flight is flying through Vancouver, Canada, and set to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, U.S Northern Command said on Twitter.

The evacuees in the latter flight will be screened for coronavirus by CDC medical personnel at the air station before sending them for a 14-day “federally mandated” quarantine period. They will be kept separated from the base personnel in the due course.

On Thursday, another two chartered flights carrying at least 350 U.S citizens from Wuhan reached California. The flights landed at Travis Air Force base and Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, ABC 7 reported.

The number of Coronavirus infections in China increased rapidly. China has reported more than 560 coronavirus deaths as of Wednesday with 28,000 total confirmed cases.

Passengers wear masks to protect against the spread of the Coronavirus as they arrive at the Los Angeles International Airport
Passengers wear masks to protect against the spread of the Coronavirus as they arrive at the Los Angeles International Airport AFP / Mark RALSTON
RELATED STORIES
Coronavirus China Canada Twitter