Tomorrow, a group of about 60 Macau residents will be brought back to the SAR from Hubei province in a rescue operation organized by the local government with the support of local airline Air Macau.
The operation was announced by the government earlier this week after a long period in which local authorities said they were assessing the situation and preparing for the repatriation.
According to the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center, the local health authorities have shortlisted the first batch of around 60 Macau residents currently in the central Chinese province. The Macau residents expressed their wish to be brought into Macau due to several difficulties they are currently facing in the mainland province, the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak and the place most affected by the virus.
A charter flight operated by local flag carrier, Air Macau, will depart for Wuhan tomorrow morning, returning to Macau in the afternoon. The mission has been considered to be of “considerable risk” by the local health authorities, and will take place with the participation of seven staff members from the government and seven crew members from Air Macau. Among the seven government members will be two doctors and three nurses from the Health Bureau (SSM) as well as two representatives from the Tourism Crisis Management Office.
Air Macau will assign three pilots and four cabin crew members to assist in the mission.
The mission is expected to bring back around 60 Macau ID holders located in and around Hubei’s capital city Wuhan. However, SSM Director Lei Chin Ion has previously announced that the number of people to be repatriated might see last-minute changes depending on the actual health of individuals.
To qualify for the flight, the ID holders will need to arrange their connecting transport to the airport in Wuhan. Final verifications such as body temperature checks and assessment of physical symptoms will be conducted at Wuhan airport to ascertain the capability of the passengers to fly to Macau.
Protective kits, consisting of a facemask, hand sanitizer, protective wear, and a diaper, will also be distributed to the passengers as nobody will be allowed to leave their seat during the return flight.
Once the plane lands in Macau, the passengers will be transferred to pre-prepared vehicles waiting by the aircraft that will transport the passengers to a quarantine facility on Coloane Alto. The repatriated residents will remain in the facility under observation for 14 days. Crew members that have direct contact with the passengers will also undergo the same quarantine measures.
According to the Macao Government Tourism Office, among the 60 qualified Macau residents are 19 minors, six of whom are under 5 years old and who have been temporarily deemed eligible to fly, as they will travel with their parents or guardians.
Aside from the 60 being repatriated, there are around another 120 Macau residents currently in Hubei Province.
Macau’s mission follows a high number of other repatriation missions performed by several countries and regions over the past few weeks to retrieve their nationals from the epicenter of the disease outbreak.
On March 4, the first batch of Hong Kong residents arrived in the neighboring region from Hubei.
Malaysia has already brought home two batches of its nationals, starting from February 4 until February 24.
The U.S. also commenced the repatriation of all Americans stranded in Wuhan from January 30, when a first flight carried about 200 people from the Chinese city back to American soil. A second mission successfully held on February 4 brought home another 178 American nationals.
Kazakhstan, Singapore, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Uzbekistan, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Spain, Canada, Russia, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Thailand are also among the countries that have held repatriation missions. In some cases involving European Union (EU) countries, these missions were conducted in partnership with several countries, bringing home nationals from other EU member states such as Portugal.
Taiwan has also arranged for a repatriation mission for residents of the island stranded in Wuhan.
So far, nine African countries have also evacuated students from Wuhan, including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritius, Mauritania, Morocco, Seychelles, South Africa, and Tunisia.
According to several news sources, a group of other African nations will jointly repatriate their nationals from Wuhan. Uganda and Kenya are calling for the support of South African authorities to return home some 720 students who remain in the Chinese city.
Stranded resident complains about 7,000-yuan trip to Wuhan airport
A Macau resident stranded in Hubei has asked the Macau government to help arrange travel to Wuhan airport, from where about 60 people are to be repatriated tomorrow.
The Macau SAR will deploy a chartered flight to the capital city of Hubei province to pick up Macau residents tomorrow morning. Those who wish to take the flight must arrange their own travel to the airport.
So far, 60 Macau residents qualify to take the flight to Macau and 57 of them have already advised the Macau government of arrangements for their own transportation to Wuhan airport.
However, one local resident, surnamed Wong, complained yesterday of the difficulties his relatives are having in making it to the airport.
Wong’s relatives, who are currently in Hubei, have been offered a chartered vehicle for the price of 7,000 yuan (about 8,100 patacas) per person. The vehicle will take approximately one hour from their current location to Wuhan airport.
Wong claimed that his relatives want to drive to the airport but, in order to pass through several checkpoints, his relatives must have medical clearance. At the same time, the mainland government has urged the public to avoid visiting hospitals.
Wong’s relatives hope that both the Macau government and the Hubei government can help them find a solution. Julie Zhu
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