USA Sending Charter Planes to Evacuate Americans from Coronavirus Epicenter

In Wuhan, China, there is a panic spreading.

A deadly, new strain of the Coronavirus has been identified as originating in the Far East metropolis of Wuhan, where it may have been passed from snakes to humans in a wildlife market some weeks ago.  The entire city of Wuhan, along with at least one other Chinese locale, have been quarantined in order to prevent any further spread of the disease with nearly 40 million people now affected by the governmental action.

With no way yet to combat the illness, American authorities have been forced to take drastic measures.

The U.S. government is sending a charter flight to the Chinese city of Wuhan on Sunday in an effort to evacuate its citizens and diplomats as the country continues to battle an outbreak of the coronavirus that has already killed 41 people and infected over 1,300 more, reports say.

The U.S. consulate contacted known American citizens living in Wuhan where the virus is believed to have originated from and offering them a seat on the 230 person flight back to the U.S., the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the operation.

According to the report, those interested will be responsible for the cost of being evacuated which could cost many times more the price of a commercial flight from China directly to the U.S.

In the city of more than 11 million people, it is estimated that there are approximately 1,000 Americans living there.

The virus is believed to have a two-week incubation period, making early diagnoses difficult.

There have already been three cases of Coronavirus reported in the United States, in Texas, Washington State, and the bustling city of Chicago.