Todd Bishop
The outbreak of the new coronavirus pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China in 2019 continues. Various countries have taken measures to prevent the “import” of the epidemic and withdraw its expatriates stranded in Wuhan and Hubei.
Continued airlines such as United Airlines and Air Canada have decided to suspend all direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai. British Airways has suspended all direct airline flights to and from China. Italy announced on January 31 that it will suspend all flights to and from China. According to the announcement, the suspending range includes flights to and from Hong Kong.
This article will continue to update the news of the response to the epidemic.
Kuwait bans entry of Chinese and Hong Kong passengers
The Kuwait Civil Aviation Authority announced on January 30 that it had decided to suspend flights between the country and Hong Kong and banned Chinese and Hong Kong passengers from mainland China and Hong Kong from entering Kuwait. As for the remaining nationalities, in the past 14 days, Those who have visited the Mainland of China or Hong Kong are not allowed to enter China until further notice. The Arab Times reports that holders of a Chinese or Hong Kong SAR passport will not be able to enter Kuwait.
The Chinese embassy in Kuwait stated that it is negotiating with the Kuwaiti side. The embassy reminds Chinese citizens who are visiting or staying here to pay close attention to the new measures, arrange their trips reasonably, and actively cooperate with the local government to do a good job of epidemic prevention.
Italy: Grounded all flights to and from China declared emergency
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on January 31 that Italy has entered a state of emergency. He said that he would allocate funds to respond to the new coronavirus epidemic. Foreign media reports that the local state will usually declare an emergency after an earthquake or public health crisis, so that government departments can take action faster and bypass some red tape.
On January 30, for the first time, two new cases of pneumococcal infection were confirmed in the local area. Prime Minister Conte later announced that in order to prevent the epidemic from spreading, all flights to and from China were suspended. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, the country’s first EU country to take this precaution.
According to the pilot announcement (NOTAM) issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the scope of the Italian grounding measures includes Italian flights to and from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taipei. The effective time shown in the notice is 2 At 0am on the 2nd of the month.
The Italian embassy in China stated on January 30 that all Italian visa centers in China will be closed until February 9, during which new visa applications will not be processed. Without further notice, visa centers will reopen on February 10.
The museum reminds that the public can only enter the embassy if they make an appointment in advance or if it is confirmed that they need to handle urgent matters.
Singapore will ban visitors who have visited China within 2 weeks
The Singapore government has decided to ban all visitors to the mainland of China from entering Singapore in the past 14 days starting at 11:59 pm on February 1. Some people are exempt, including Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term licensees who have entered the Mainland of China. They can still return to Singapore, but the Singapore government requires them to apply for 14 days of “absent leave”.
The Singzhou government will also temporarily suspend the issuance of various permits to Chinese visitors, and the short-term visas and multiple-entry visas previously issued will also be revoked.
Japan: Large-scale travel agency that has banned visitors to Hubei from entering China within 2 weeks has cancelled travel to China, including Hong Kong
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on January 31 that from 00:00 on February 1, foreigners who have visited China’s Hubei Province within 14 days are prohibited from entering Japan.
JTB, a large Japanese travel agency, decided on January 31 to suspend all travel to China, including Hong Kong and Macau, until February 29. Kyodo News said that this is a measure taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to raise the alert level for infectious diseases in all regions of China except Hubei Province.
The Japanese Cabinet Meeting decided on January 28 that pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus in Wuhan was designated as a “designated infectious disease” (designated infectious disease in Japan). All infected persons will be compulsorily isolated and treated according to law. Immigrants also need to be inspected, otherwise violations of the law can be punished.
The Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) reported on January 31 that Japan plans to advance the date of the new coronavirus as a “designated infectious disease” from February 7 to February 1.
Japan ’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 31 raised the “Infectious Disease Danger Reminder Level” for all regions outside Hebei Province, China, from the first level, which was originally the lowest of the four levels, to the second level. As for the “reminder level of infectious disease danger” issued by Hubei Province where Wuhan City is located, it will remain at the third level.
Japan ’s “Infectious Disease Dangerous Intelligence” is divided into 4 levels. The second level urges the public not to go to the local area unnecessarily; the third level recommends that the public do not go to the local area temporarily.
In terms of charter flights, the second charter charter chartered a charter flight of 210 diasporas on the 30th and flew to Wuhan Haneda Airport from Wuhan, China in the morning. After the diaspora was quarantined, many people developed symptoms such as cough. The country ’s first ANA charter flight returned from Wuhan on the 29th. Three of these Japanese have been detected with the new coronavirus. Two of them showed no symptoms, but tested positive. This is the first time that an asymptomatic person has been diagnosed in Japan. The third charter flight of the country has arrived in Tokyo, Japan on the 31st.
In addition, ANA has grounded flights from Tokyo to Narita to Wuhan on the 23rd. The company decided to extend the grounding order until March 1st on the afternoon of the 29th.
US raises travel warnings
The U.S. Department of State has heightened tourism warnings for China, saying that in the light of the pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan, U.S. citizens are advised not to travel to China.
Turkey: Turkish Airlines to ground Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xi’an
Turkish Airlines announced on January 31 that it will suspend flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xi’an, China until February 9.
Singapore: Singapore Airlines to reduce flights to some Chinese cities
Singapore Airlines (Singapore Airlines) stated on Facebook on January 31 that it will reduce flights to some cities in mainland China in February, including flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xiamen and Chongqing, some of which are operated by sub- The company is operated by Silk Air.
Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ low-cost carrier, said that from early February to the end of March, it will suspend flights to 11 cities in China and reduce the number of flights to 8 other cities in China.
North Korea studies increase entry inspection and quarantine
The Yonhap News Agency reported on January 31 that the Korean party newspaper “Labor News” stated on the same day that cadres of the National Quality Supervision Committee will meet in border areas and important ports on the 21st to study and strengthen entry inspection and quarantine to strictly prevent virus “imports.”
The Yonhap news agency quoted “Labour News” as reporting that the import and export inspection and quarantine offices throughout North Korea cooperated with the local emergency epidemic prevention headquarters to carry out quarantine of entry personnel and medical observation. Pyongyang Station’s import and export inspection and quarantine station added protective equipment such as masks, gloves and temperature detectors, and conducted two rounds of sanitary quarantine on international trains.
In addition, North Korea will suspend passenger trains for international transport of North Korea and China from the 31st.
18 people in South Korea chartered for medical treatment
South Korea ’s foreign ministry said on January 31 that 368 South Korean citizens who had evacuated from Wuhan and nearby areas have returned home the same morning, and asymptomatic individuals will be quarantined for two weeks. Yonhap News Agency reported on the 31st that the Central Emergency Response Headquarters of the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic reported on the same day that 18 of 368 people had fever and other symptoms and were sent to hospital, 12 of whom had symptoms when they were quarantined at Wuhan Tianhe Airport, and the rest 6 Symptoms appeared after arriving in Gimpo, Seoul.
The Yonhap News Agency quoted officials from the country as saying that the Korean government had obtained China’s consent and dispatched an evacuation charter flight to Wuhan on the evening of the 31st.
Yonhap News Agency reported that the charter flight was said to be a Korean Air Boeing 747 that flew to Wuhan on the evening of the 30th to pick up the Korean diaspora. After completing the epidemic prevention and disinfection work, the plane took off from Seoul Gimpo Airport at 8.45 pm on the 31st. It can carry up to 404 people and the second batch of Korean citizens boarding about 350 people.
It is reported that the South Korean Consulate General in Wuhan has urgently notified local Korean citizens on the 31st, and those who have not been able to apply for evacuation must send relevant information as soon as possible in order to return to China that night.
Authorities sent up to 4 charter flights to pick up the diaspora. Reuters reported on the 31st that about 700 South Koreans applied for charter flights.
Czech visa suspension
Jietong News quoted Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek as reporting that visas to Chinese citizens have been suspended.
Russia stops issuing e-visa
Russia ’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called it a response to the epidemic and has stopped issuing electronic visas to Chinese citizens since the 30th. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also ordered the closure of the Far East border to prevent the epidemic from spreading.
The government said on the 29th that Russia-China rail links have been restricted since January 31 and that only Moscow and Beijing trains continue to operate.
British: British Airways cancels flight to China
The British chartered plane that sent the diaspora back home has left 83 Chinese citizens and 27 foreigners in Wuhan, China. The plane is expected to arrive at 1 pm British time on the 31st. It will then fly to Spain. Passengers on board will be received by the European Union.
British Airways has cancelled all flights to and from China. The company apologizes to the affected passengers. According to the website, no direct flights to and from China have been scheduled until February.
Prior to the announcement of British Airways’ decision, the website had suspended the sale of direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai until March.
Mongolia closes ports to and from China
The Mongolian government said on January 31 that it will close all ports to and from China until March 2. Citizens of Mongolia, who are still in China, can return to China before February 6, but non-Chinese foreigners will not be able to enter Mongolia through China.
Israel bans Chinese flights from landing
Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman said on January 30 that in view of the Wuhan pneumonia epidemic, Israel banned flights from China into the country until further notice, and that all Israeli citizens returning from China must be quarantined at home for two weeks.
