Paris (AFP)

We are starting to know the main lines of the French repatriation from Wuhan to China, the epicenter of the epidemic caused by a new coronavirus: a first plane will return at the end of the week and a reception location has been chosen to isolate the first returnees.

Plane will land "Thursday afternoon in Wuhan" and "should be back in France probably Friday, I can't know if it's Friday evening, Friday night or Saturday morning," said the Minister of Health. Agnès Buzyn, Tuesday during her greetings to the press.

"A medical team will accompany this plane," she said.

Secretary of State for Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari had previously mentioned on CNews a first repatriation on Thursday, before the clarification made by the minister.

According to Ms. Buzyn, it is estimated that "between 500 and 1,000 French nationals" are potentially affected by repatriation. But "not everyone wants to go back," she however qualified.

According to Mr. Djebbari, the flight which will return at the end of the week must bring back "people who (...) do not show symptoms". A "second flight, the dates to be determined", will then repatriate the "people possibly carrying the virus", he added.

Returnees who do not show symptoms will be gathered in a place where they will have to be kept in solitary confinement for 14 days, the maximum estimated duration of incubation for the disease. This will check if they have been infected with the virus.

"We have identified a reception area in the Paris region," said Ms. Buzyn, according to which it should "not be too far from hospitals" in case one of the people ends up showing symptoms.

Returnees who already show symptoms will be hospitalized upon their return.

- Foreigners too -

This sorting and the distribution of returnees in the various flights according to their state of health is carried out in China. It is not yet known whether returns will take place in military or civilian aircraft.

According to the Minister of Health, it is "the consulate on the spot" which is in the process of identifying expatriates who want to return to France and those who want to stay in China.

"Some have families who are not necessarily French nationals, so you have to know if the families want to return, if the Chinese government accepts," she said, indicating that "all this is being discussed with the Chinese authorities. "

In addition, some French people are put off by the fact that "there is a confinement period of 14 days on arrival" and "do not necessarily wish to return under these conditions". "We are awaiting their responses," said the minister.

Finally, European nationals could take advantage of French planes to leave China.

"A number of European countries have asked France if they can repatriate their nationals, knowing that some have fewer than 10," said Buzyn.

"It is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is in charge of working with these different countries to find out how we distribute (between European countries) the repatriation of all European nationals," she continued.

"Obviously, we will not close the door of our planes to foreign nationals if they request it and if we have the possibility", she concluded, stressing that France is undoubtedly the country which has " the largest community "in Wuhan, for" historical reasons of cooperation with this city ".

For now, France has three patients infected with the new coronavirus on its soil, who had all stayed in Wuhan before. One is hospitalized in Bordeaux and the other two in Paris. In addition to these proven cases, suspect cases are the subject of samples which are tested to find out whether or not the patient is infected.

© 2020 AFP