Air France suspends flights to, from China

PARIS (AA): Air France suspended travel to and from Wuhan, China in the wake of a deadly coronavirus outbreak that has caused 170 deaths and 7,711 reported cases, France’s Minister of Health Agnes Buzyn said Thursday.

The airline will suspend all flights until Feb. 29, for single passengers and group travel. Flights to Shanghai and Beijing will remain in service.

The airline will operate only one flight per day to and from Shanghai and Beijing beginning Friday because of decreased demand.

Cabin crew unions working for Air France asked the airline to suspend flights in an effort to avoid exposure, according to statements by officials from two of the largest unions, UNAC and SNPNC.

The airline said it will offer passengers a rebooking option at no cost, should they choose to cancel or postpone a flight.

France sent a plane at 4 a.m. local time (0400GMT) Thursday to China to retrieve 250 French nationals and 100 European nationals to fly them to France. They will be quarantine for two weeks under medical supervision upon arrival.

The coronavirus first broke out in the capital Wuhan in the Hubei province, which is currently on lockdown.

Statistics Thursday show deaths up 29% and reported cases up from 5,974 from the day before — 162 deaths occurred in Hubei province.

The World Health Organization called an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss whether to declare the outbreak an international emergency.