According to the Ministry of Health’s official spokesperson, Dr. Khaled Mujahid, repatriated Egyptian nationals awere received at Al Alamein International airport where preventive measures have been implemented ahead of their return.
The citizens are temporarily quarantined for a timeframe of two-weeks, estimated to be virus’ incubation period, at El-Negelah Central Hospital in Marsa Matrouh.
The Egyptian government was directed by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Thursday to take all necessary measures to evacuate Egyptians in Wuhan who wish to return to Egypt.
According to a statement released by the Egyptian government, the Chinese government has approved a request from Egypt to evacuate any Egyptians who want to leave Wuhan.
As the outbreak of the coronavirus spread to global proportions, a jet plane was dispatched to the heart of the epidemic, Wuhan, where over 400 Egyptian nationals were living. The vast majority opted to return to Egypt while others chose to stay, feeling safe or under the impression that the situation was manageable by Chinese authorities.
However, to prevent the possibility of an outbreak in Egypt, the country’s Ministry of Health and Population established a preventive measure plan, following the guidelines of the World Health Organization, which included self-sterilized ambulances at the airport’s runaways and a quarantine period for all nationals as well as flight crew members and the accompanying medical team.
Some of the returning nationals, according to Mujahid’s statement, are pregnant women and children.
On Thursday night, the World Health Organization declared the new coronavirus a global emergency. At least 213 people in China have died from the virus, most of whom are located in the Hubei district (where Wuhan is located). More than 10,000 others have shown symptoms of the virus in China.
On the same carrier plane, Egypt sent 10 tons of medical assistance and equipment to China.
“Minister of Health Hala Zayed directed that this shipment be sent as part of Egypt’s support to the Chinese people given deeply-rooted and strong ties between both countries,” said Mujahid according to Al Ahram .
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