Coronavirus: Evacuated Americans cheer as they land in US on flight from Wuhan

Passengers on a US government-chartered flight evacuating more than 200 US citizens from coronavirus epicentre Wuhan, China cheered when the plane touched down on US soil.

The US Department of State ordered the "safe and expedient ordered departure of US citizens" from the area, where the deadly flu-like respiratory virus has killed 132 people and sickened thousands of others in a dozen countries. The flight carrying diplomats from the American consulate and private citizens was rerouted from its final destination at a Los Angeles-area airport to a nearby military base on Wednesday morning.

Confirmed cases of the virus spiked to nearly 6,000 on Wednesday, surpassing the rate of confirmed cases of SARS during its 2000s outbreak that killed more than 750 people in 17 countries.

Several Chinese cities are on effective lock-downs as airlines have begun suspending flights to and from mainland China, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised Americans to avoid all non-essential travel to the country.

The CDC identified five confirmed cases in the US after all patients affected had travelled from Wuhan. More than 100 people in the US are being medically monitored.

Passengers on a US government flight were screened before take off, monitored during the flight, and screened again during a refuelling stop in Anchorage, Alaska, where passengers reportedly broke out in cheers as they entered the country late Tuesday night.

The flight continued to California, where a last-minute schedule change diverted the plane from its scheduled stop at Ontario Airport outside Los Angeles to a US military base in Riverside County.

Passengers were screened upon arrival at March Air Reserve and will be "temporarily housed", officials said.

A statement from the Department of Defence said the base "stands ready" to provide housing to the passengers, and staff with Health and Human Services will transport ill passengers, if any, to a nearby hospital.

A CDC statement said: "Our primary objective is to facilitate the safe return of these Americans while protecting the public's health."

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