Coronavirus: UAE suspends flights to and from China except Beijing

Stoppage to come into force from Wednesday, in response to the outbreak in Wuhan

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The UAE will suspend all flights to and from China, with the exception of the country's capital, Beijing, which will remain unaffected.

The General Civil Aviation Authority said the suspension would come into force on Wednesday until further notice. The decision is part of precautionary measures undertaken by the UAE to confront the outbreak of coronavirus.

"We continue to put our confidence in the Chinese Government’s efforts to control and contain the situation," the from the GCAA statement said.

 

The authority said passengers travelling from Beijing International Airport will be required to undergo a comprehensive medical screening, of between six to eight hours, at the airport to ensure the safety of passengers before boarding.

It called on airlines to communicate the new procedures with passengers to avoid flight delays.

The GCAA said the decision to suspend flights came after studying and analysing the current conditions on the spread of the virus. It worked with international and national bodies, including local carriers, before making the decision.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority and other organisations are "continuously evaluating the situation in China and will make decisions accordingly", the GCAA said.

All incoming and outgoing flights to Wuhan — the city at the centre of the crisis — have been cancelled since January 23, 2020.

The authority advised passengers to contact their airlines for updates on affected flights.

On Monday, the death toll from the virus climbed above 360. More than 17,000 people have been infected with the highly-contagious virus, the vast majority from within China. An 1,000-bed emergency hospital, built in just 10 days, opened in Wuhan on Monday to ease pressure on local medical centres. A second facility dedicated to serving infected patients due to open on Tuesday.

In the UAE, health authorities have confirmed five cases of coronavirus. They have urged the public not to spread rumours about the virus and to follow updates only from official sources.