EU planes to repatriate Irish who opt to quit virus city

Irish people who are stranded in the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan and want to leave are expected to benefit from a move by the European Commission to start helping repatriate Europeans.

The Commission has activated its EU Civil Protection Mechanism, under which it will co-fund two planes to bring EU citizens back from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the centre of the virus outbreak.

France had requested assistance to provide consular support to EU citizens in Wuhan.

“This is a first request for assistance and others may follow in the coming days,” the commission said.

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The Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin has indicated its officials were exploring options, including commercial options, for helping Irish citizens to leave the region if needed.

A small community of at least six Irish nationals is living in Wuhan and several are settled with families or partners and will not be leaving.

Countries around the world are planning to evacuate diplomatic staff and private citizens from Chinese areas hit by the coronavirus, which is spreading rapidly in China.

A small number of cases has been confirmed elsewhere.

The EU will co-finance the transport costs of the aircraft, the first due to depart France today and the second due to leave later this week.

People who choose to return here from Wuhan will have to undergo medical assessment to determine if they have symptoms or could be incubating the virus.

It may mean that they will have to self-isolate for about two weeks before getting the all-clear and getting confirmation that they do not have the virus.

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