Germany urges citizens to avoid ‘unnecessary trips’ to virus-hit China
Team Udayavani, Jan 27, 2020, 5:07 PM IST
Berlin: Germany urged its citizens on Monday to avoid “unnecessary trips” to China amid fears over the rapid spread of a deadly virus.
Berlin also said it was considering evacuating citizens from Wuhan, the city at the centre of the outbreak.
“Travellers should consider delaying or cancelling any unnecessary trips to China,” Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told a press conference in the capital.
Maas added that the government was “considering a possible evacuation of all willing German citizens” from Wuhan, in Hubei province where the coronavirus first emerged.
The number of German citizens currently in the city was estimated to be “in double figures”, he said.
The respiratory virus has infected thousands and killed 81 since it was discovered in Wuhan last December.
The Chinese government has sealed off Wuhan and neighbouring cities, effectively trapping tens of millions of people — including thousands of foreigners — in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
Its ability to spread appears to be “getting stronger” though it is “not as powerful as SARS”, top Chinese health officials said.
Both France and the United States have announced flights to evacuate personnel and citizens trapped at the epicentre of the outbreak.
Germany is yet to record a confirmed case of the coronavirus on its soil, though local media have reported several suspected cases.
Maas said the German government was holding crisis talks with health experts to discuss the epidemic.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Sexual harassment case: HC declines to suspend prison sentence of former TN special DGP
Watch: 2 Malaysian Navy helicopters crash mid-air; 10 onboard killed
2 Indian students killed in traffic collision in Arizona
Indian-origin married man jailed in Singapore for beating girlfriend to death
US students up in arms against Biden on Gaza war
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Intense heat wave in eastern states spreads to south India
Sexual harassment case against ex-WFI chief: Court to pass order on closure report on May 20
Modi is ‘Vish Guru’, never respected ‘magalsutra’: Jairam Ramesh
TCS World 10K: New starting point, meticulous arrangements in place
Congress complains to EC, alleges ‘misinformation’ by BJP about manifesto