Plane With UK, Foreign Citizens Leaves China’s Coronavirus-Hit Wuhan - UK Foreign Office

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A plane carrying 83 UK and 27 foreign nationals have left the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the new coronavirus outbreak, the UK Foreign Office said on Friday.

"At 0945 (local time) [01:45 GMT], a civilian aircraft chartered by the Foreign Office carrying 83 British and 27 foreign nationals left Wuhan for the UK. The charter flight is estimated to land at RAF Brize Norton at 1330 (UK time) [13:00 GMT]," the ministry said in a statement.

It further stated that several medical workers were on board to provide the necessary assistance to passengers. After making a stop in the UK, the plane will head for Spain, where "EU nationals’ home countries will take responsibility for them."

Upon their arrival, the UK citizens will be put into quarantine for two weeks to ensure public safety, Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab confirmed that the chartered plane was cleared for departure on Friday morning.

The novel strain of coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan, Hubei province, last December and has since spread to 19 countries. The virus has already killed 213 people in China as well as infected over 9,600 more.