AS the government continues to closely monitor the deadly coronavirus in China, Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield said yesterday that officials see “no real reason” to evacuate Bahamians studying in Wuhan. “(Evacuation) is not a consideration for us at the moment,” the minister told reporters at an agreement signing yesterday. “One thing we know is that we don’t have any direct flights to The Bahamas from China and so the United States, Canada and elsewhere in the region which enjoy the capacity to have a direct flight (from there) would probably be the first place to look at, which should happen. “But, at the moment, we see no real reason to remove Bahamians from China. The World Health Organisation, PAHO have all indicated that it wasn’t necessary to issue any kind of advisory at the moment.” According to Health Minister Dr Duane Sands, there are also no plans by the government to increase entry screenings in the country as international bodies say this preventative method is not terribly effective. Since its outbreak in Wuhan, China, the virus has killed more than 80 people and sickened thousands worldwide, with cases already found in the United States, Canada, Thailand, France, Japan, South Korea and Australia, according to international reports. To date, there have been no reported incidences of the virus found in The Bahamas or among Bahamians living in Wuhan.

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