Belgium will repatriate its citizens in China, who are in the area where the coronavirus broke out.
The Department of Foreign Affairs knows of 15 Belgians still in the affected province of Hubei. The country will evacuate the Belgians who are in the Chinese city of Wuhan and its surroundings after the outbreak of the coronavirus, according to Philippe Goffin, the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
"The repatriation of the Belgians in the area will happen in consultation with the Chinese authorities," a Foreign Affairs spokesperson said, reports Het Laatste Nieuws.
"The 15 Belgians in the affected area will be repatriated, if they want to be, by plane to Belgium as soon as possible. This afternoon, a meeting with the EU will be held, after which Foreign Affairs will decide if will Belgium will take on the repatriation, or if it will happen in cooperation with other EU countries," said Goffin, reports VRT.
In total, over 2,700 people have been infected with the coronavirus in China, 80 have died. Outside of China, 42 infected people have turned up, including in France.
So far, there are no known cases in Belgium.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
