EgyptAir, the country’s national aviation company decided to suspend its flights to and from Chinese cities, starting 1 February, the company announced on Thursday. The suspension will be gradual, starting with Hanzo flights from1 February and Beijing and Guangzhou as of 4 February, due to the spread of the coronavirus.
On Thursday, China announced that the total number of deaths from the coronavirus had risen to 170, with cases now confirmed in every province and region in the country. More than 7,700 people have been infected in mainland China, while 68 cases have been reported around the world.
Also on Thursday, the Indian government announced the first case of coronavirus in the country. The government said that the patient has been kept in isolation and is currently keeping stable. The discovery of coronavirus in India means that the world’s two most populous nations are now threatened by the deadly disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to announce the decision to declare the flu-like coronavirus a global emergency later on Thursday.
The last Chinese tourist group in Egypt will leave the country on 4 February.
EgyptAir joins a long list of airlines to suspend flights to China, British Airways and Asian budget carriers Lion Air and Seoul Air have suspended all flights to China.
Several other airlines including Finnair, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and Singapore-based Jetstar Asia are reducing the number of flights to the country as demand for travel drops because of the outbreak.
