Advertisement

Brit evacuated from coronavirus epicentre thanks cabin crew for 'bringing us home'

Passengers disembark from the plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
Passengers disembark from the plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. (PA Images)

One of the British citizens evacuated from Wuhan, the city where the coronavirus outbreak originated, has thanked the cabin crew who flew them home.

More than 80 Britons on an evacuation flight from the Chinese city landed back in the UK this afternoon.

It comes as the first two cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the UK.

Patrick Graham thanked the staff on Instagram, as well sharing images of the journey.

He wrote: “Thank you Wamos Air staff for getting us home. They also have to go into a period of quarantine just for bringing us home!”

He shared a screenshot of the news the UK has confirmed two cases of the deadly virus and wrote: “Please don’t blame us… we have only just landed.”

Coaches leave Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, carrying passengers from a plane which transported British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China.
Coaches leave Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, carrying passengers from a plane which transported British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China.

He also posted a selfie wearing a protective face mask, saying he had been awake for 24 hours.

Ben Williams, who had been in Wuhan getting married and on honeymoon, said he had to leave his new Chinese wife behind after being given short notice to get to the plane.

He told the BBC that there had been delays in getting paperwork and mistakes in communication between embassies.

He said: “By the time we got out the door it was very much a close call to get to the meeting point to get on this flight and sadly my wife has nothing prepared and it wasn’t right for her to enter the UK with essentially nothing.”

Read more from Yahoo News UK

Do masks help ward off coronavirus?

Coronavirus is 'spreading quicker than Sars'

World Health Organization declares coronavirus a 'global health emergency'

Speaking from the plane after it touched down, he said: “We’ll leave the plane one-by-one or in families, for a full health screening and I believe just get on a coach to our final destination for our extended vacation.”

The Brits evacuated from China will now spend two weeks in quarantine in Arrowe Park Hospital in the Wirral.

The two people diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK are being treated in a high consequence infectious disease unit in Newcastle, chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty said.

An outbreak investigation team has been formed to trace anyone who has been in contact with the pair to prevent the illness spreading.