Japanese evacuation flight brings back workers from Wuhan

TOKYO (AP) - The first group of Japanese evacuees from a virus-hit Chinese city arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, wearing masks but showing a sense of relief.

Four of the 206 evacuees had cough and fever and were taken to a designated Tokyo hospital specializing in treating infectious diseases, Tokyo's city government said, adding that they were still checking if any passengers were ill with the virus.

Japan's government sent a chartered flight to pick up the evacuees, most of whom resided close to the Wuhan seafood market linked to the first cases of the new virus that has infected thousands.

'œWe were feeling increasingly uneasy as the situation developed so rapidly when we were still in the city,'ť Takeo Aoyama, an employee at Nippon Steel Corp.'s subsidiary in Wuhan, told reporters at Tokyo's Haneda airport while he waited for a bus to take him to a hospital for another health check.

'œMy uneasiness peaked when the number of patients started to spike,'ť he said, wearing a mask that muffled his voice. 'œI fell asleep as soon as I sat down on my seat (on the plane),'ť he said. Other evacuees seated near him also seemed relieved but tired.

Japan has seven cases including what could be the first human-to-human infection in the country, a man in his 60s who worked as a tour bus driver and served two groups of Chinese tourists from Wuhan from Jan. 8-16.

He developed cough, joint ache and chills on Jan. 14, the Health Ministry said. Three days after developing initial symptoms, he visited a hospital but was tested negative for the new coronavirus and was not hospitalized until he returned Saturday with signs of pneumonia.

Officials said about 650 Japanese citizens and their families in Wuhan and elsewhere in Hebei province had sought to return home. Aoyama said there are more than 400 others still in Wuhan, including those working for a Japanese supermarket chain that has stayed open to serve customers who need food and other necessities and supplies.

He said it was important to step up preventive measures in Japan, but 'œI hope we can also provide support for the Chinese people, while we also help Japanese people who are still there.'ť

Japan's government is preparing to send another chartered flight to evacuate the others later Wednesday, according to Kyodo News service.

Another evacuee, Takayuki Kato, said that all those wishing to leave Wuhan had submitted their health inquiry form and had their temperature taken before departure. While on board, a doctor came to each passenger to take temperature again and check their condition, he said.

Kato said he did not panic as he was able to monitor news online and via local media, but 'œI was shocked when all transportation systems were suspended. That's when the situation drastically changed.'ť

Aoyama and Kato, along with the rest of the evacuees who were not showing immediate signs of infection, were expected to be taken to the National Center for Global Health and Medicine for further checks and a virus test.

Health officials said that evacuees will be sent home on chartered buses to keep them from using public transportation and stay home for about two weeks until their virus test results are out, though it's not legally binding. Others who need to travel long distance home are asked to stay at designated hotels.

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Associated Press journalist Haruka Nuga contributed to this report.

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