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98 Chinese return from Mexico
By Wang Hongyi (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-07 09:54

SHANGHAI: Chinese nationals who returned home from flu-stricken Mexico were handed mascots of Shanghai's World Expo - and sent straight to quarantine with letters of consolation.

The 98 passengers arrived on a special Boeing 777-200 flight, owned by China Southern Airlines, at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport Wednesday at 4:30 pm. They had been stranded in Mexico since flights from the country were halted due to the A(H1N1) flu outbreak.

98 Chinese return from Mexico
Chinese citizens disembark the Southern Airlines flight that flew them from Mexico to Shanghai yesterday. [Xing Guangli/China Daily]
All passengers were screened at the airport after getting off the plane.

Though none had experienced fevers or other flu symptoms, all passengers were placed in a week-long quarantine.

A special channel was opened in the airport to avoid contact with other people, and they were transferred by ambulances to the Shanghai Yizhen Hotel, where they will spend the next seven days.

Full coverage:
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"They will live separately, and each room is equipped with all essential facilities," an official surnamed Yu from the local disease prevention and control center said.

"The service staff in the hotel have already received two days of professional training," she said. "They have been advised how to protect themselves from the flu virus and how to carry out emergency measures."

Experienced specialty chefs have been provided to cook for the guests, she said.

"A complete plan dealing with all kinds of emergency situations has been developed and approved by health authorities. Protective equipment such as masks and medicines are prepared," said Lu Hongzhou, vice-president of the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center.

After passengers got off the plane, staff from Shanghai entry-exit quarantine bureau sterilized the aircraft including the rubbish left by the passengers.

The 19 flight crew members and one doctor who brought the Chinese nationals home didn't leave the plane. Instead, they left Shanghai at 7 pm for Guangzhou where they will receive a health check and also be quarantined for a week.