The U.S. State Department said early Thursday that it was planning additional evacuation flights starting Feb. 3 from Wuhan—the Chinese city where the deadly new coronavirus’ outbreak is believed to have started. China’s National Health Commission reported there are now 7,711 cases of coronavirus in the country, 1,737 more than what was counted Tuesday. The death toll in China has risen by 38 to 170—the largest single-day jump in fatalities from the virus, Yahoo News reports. The majority of the deaths, or 162 cases, were reported in Hubei province—considered the epicenter of the outbreak. All 31 provinces in mainland China have now reported cases of coronavirus. India and the Philippines also reported their first confirmed cases, both in people who had recently been in Wuhan. U.S. officials said people traveling on its added flights would be subject to screening, health observations, and monitoring.
Almost 200 Americans who were evacuated from Wuhan landed in California on Wednesday. While none of the passengers showed signs of illness, CDC officials said the 195 individuals would remain under voluntary quarantine at an air base. They reportedly said they would comply with three days of monitoring, testing, and rest. Outside of the 195 travelers, there have been five identified cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and 165 suspected cases.
