7 flights bring 1,100 overseas Chinese home from hard-hit countries

China's civil aviation authority has so far sent seven flights to bring back a total of 1,101 overseas Chinese in countries hit hard by the novel coronavirus, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Zhu Tao, chief of the administration's Flight Standard Department, said the administration also sent a chartered flight carrying a 9-member Chinese expert team, along with medical supplies, to help Italy contain the epidemic, as well as five cargo flights delivering over 78 tons of emergency supplies to aid foreign countries.

"In light of actual demands, we'll further arrange such flights in a timely manner under the guidance of the State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism,” he said on Monday in a daily briefing.

Zhu also noted that the civil aviation authority is taking region-specific approaches to prevent novel coronavirus cases from being imported back from other virus-hit nations via international flights, as the outbreak has been slowing down in China but picks up speed across the world.

Besides stepping up disinfection and ventilation to ensure safe travel for passengers, as well as well handling garbage disposal, airlines are urged to make differentiated and precise approaches in light of the local health risks of the departure country, passenger makeup and seat occupancy, he said.

The administration requires carriers to take temperatures for each passenger and set up an emergency quarantine zone onboard in terms of flights with relatively low risks. Wearing face masks also is a must, Zhu said.

Airlines should minimize cabin service and ramp up protection efforts for all crew members during high-risk flights. They should immediately take isolation, ventilation and sterilization measures when suspected cases are found on planes and inform the destination airport, he added.

Wang Jun, chief of the Policy and Legal Affairs Department of the General Administration of Customs, said that if a passenger with abnormal symptoms is found at any port, customs authorities will conduct immediate medical checks.

After completing the process of health quarantine and information registration, the passenger will be transferred to the departments designated by local governments, he added.