Barry Ellsworth
29 January 2020•Update: 30 January 2020
TRENTON, Canada
Canada said Wednesday it will send a plane to fly Canadians out of the Wuhan, China, the epicenter of a recent coronavirus outbreak.
Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne made the announcement but Health Minister Patty Hajdu said the government has not come up with a plan to keep the passengers away from others to prevent spread of the virus when they arrive back in Canada.
Canada is also working with China and allies to coordinate the removal of 160 Canadians who have asked for help to come home.
At least 250 Canadians registered with Global Affairs Canada, Champagne said.
Some countries have also decided to fly citizens home, Champagne said, but the United States is the only one to land.
“The only plane which has landed is a U.S. plane that was scheduled to be there,” he said. Japan announced it will go to Wuhan.
The virus has killed 132 and infected more than 6,000 in China.
Canada has three cases of coronavirus as of Jan. 29, two in Ontario and one in British Columbia.
