Coronavirus: Two More Flights to Evacuate U.S. Citizens From Wuhan, China

Two flights evacuating hundreds of U.S. citizens from China amid the coronavirus outbreak are scheduled to leave soon, CNN reports. About 550 passengers will be on board the flights departing from Wuhan, China—the city considered to be the epicenter of the outbreak. The flights will reportedly land at two California military bases, in San Diego and in the northern part of the state. The U.S. government reportedly arranged the flights in the past week, after a plane with 195 passengers landed at a Southern California airbase in late January. The passengers were put under a 14-day federal quarantine order after an individual attempted to leave the base.

News of the new flights comes as Chinese officials confirmed that the global coronavirus death toll is now at least 490. The heath authority in Hubei province, home to the city of Wuhan, said 65 people had died since Tuesday. The officials also confirmed an additional 3,156 cases of the virus in Hubei, brining the total number of cases worldwide to more than 24,000. Two coronavirus deaths have occurred outside of China, including one in Hong Kong. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is transferring or releasing all 125 missionaries in Hong Kong and Macau due to the outbreak, Deseret News reports.