The elaborate, high-level evacuation will involve specialised bio-hazard military health and air force personnel.
Once they are safely back in the country, the South African evacuees will be quarantined at a secret resort in the Free State where they - along with the flight crew and resort staff - will be kept under heavy guard for 21 days.
An inter-ministerial media conference was held on March 01 2020 near OR Tambo International airport amid growing concerns around the spread of the coronavirus in Africa. Minister of health Zweli Mkhize led the panel discussion which confirmed that a repatriation mission to bring South Africans home will begin within the next 7 to 10 days.
The Sunday Times has been given rare access to information on the evacuation, which will include government health officials, among them communicable disease experts, working to bring back at least 134 citizens. Information gathered on the spread of the disease, the true extent of those infected and their treatment, is alarming. The information warranted an urgent evacuationRoughly 200 South Africans live, work and study in Wuhan. The majority of those returning are students.
Defence ministry spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said the flight would be chartered,"preferably from SAA". He said China had given the plane only eight hours on the ground.
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