The Ukrainian authorities have evacuated 33,000 compatriots from other countries over two days after the borders were closed due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said
KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th March, 2020) The Ukrainian authorities have evacuated 33,000 compatriots from other countries over two days after the borders were closed due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
On March 14, the Ukrainian government temporarily restricted the entry of citizens of other states into the country and suspended air services amid the coronavirus situation in the world. Since Monday, the entire border has been closed for foreigners for two weeks. Since Tuesday, Ukraine has limited passenger air services.
"Yesterday, 125 flights returned 23,000 Ukrainians home. Today 50 flights returned 10,000 Ukrainians. An additional 40 flights are planned for tomorrow," Zelenskyy said in a video address posted on the presidential office's Facebook page.
"Aircraft from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Egypt, Israel, Spain, Qatar, Moldova, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Turkey have already returned," he said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease a pandemic. More than 179,000 people in over 150 countries have gotten infected, most have recovered, over 7,400 people have died. The coronavirus outbreak was first registered in December 2019 in China's Wuhan. In Europe, the most coronavirus-affected country is Italy.
