Officials in hazmat suits meet evacuation flight after it arrives at California air base from coronavirus epicenter Wuhan as all 201 passengers prepare for final health screenings and 72-hour quarantine
The rescue flight landed at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California, just after 8am Wednesday
Officials in hazmat suits met the plane on the tarmac before passengers began filing out
The 201 passengers will now undergo health screenings and be quarantined at the base for 72 hours
The US government chartered the flight to bring diplomats and US citizens home from the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China
All passengers previously passed screenings before departure in Wuhan and during a fuel stop in Alaska
The plane was initially meant to fly to Ontario, California, but was diverted to the base late Tuesday night
In addition to the United States, countries including Japan and South Korea have also planned evacuations
The coronavirus death toll in China stands at 132 with more than 6,000 cases confirmed worldwide
By MEGAN SHEETS and LAUREN FRUEN
DAILYMAIL.COM
29 January 2020
An evacuation flight bringing 201 Americans home from the Chinese city at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak has landed at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California.
The plane chartered by the US government to fly diplomats and private citizens back from Wuhan touched down at the air base just after 8am PST Wednesday.
Officials in hazmat suits were seen approaching the plane on the tarmac before passengers began filing out and stepping into awaiting buses.
The passengers will now undergo health screenings and be quarantined at the base for 72 hours as they complete the repatriation process.
They’ve already undergone four screenings over the course of the journey – two before departure in Wuhan and another two during a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska, late Tuesday night.
The plane was originally scheduled to fly to Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California, but was diverted to the air base 25 miles away without explanation late on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile in China, the coronavirus death toll has risen to 133 as of Wednesday morning and several countries – including the US and UK – have advised against non-essential travel to the nation.
More than 6,000 people have been sickened by the deadly strain in at least 18 countries amid an international effort to stop the spread.
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