NEWS Nervous wait for Aussies in China

THE Federal Government was last night hoping Chinese authorities would allow a plane into Wuhan to rescue more than 200 Australians from the coronavirus-affected city and bring them to Darwin.

Plans to fly the Australians out a day earlier were put on hold after China blocked the Qantas plane that had been sent from Sydney, forcing it to wait in Hong Kong.

Passengers had been waiting at Wuhan airport when the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade contacted them and told them the flight had been delayed.

“You should return to your homes or places of accommodation and we will send you more information when it is available,” an email sent to passengers by DFAT on Friday night said. “We are working with Chinese authorities in order to reschedule the flight for tomorrow (Saturday).”

They were contacted again yesterday and told to be at the airport by 6pm local time with the hope the plane could depart by midnight.

The delays came as doctors on Christmas Island sent one potential case of coronavirus to the mainland.

Sources told News Corp an extremely conservative approach was being taken, but the evacuee had been isolated at the Christmas Island Detention Centre with the results expected back by tomorrow.

A machine will also arrive on Christmas Island tomorrow allowing doctors to do the testing on site, with a two-hour turnaround.

No more evacuees will be sent to Christmas Island in the short term, with a workers’ camp on the outskirts of Darwin now waiting to accept the latest group from Wuhan.

If all goes to plan, the evacuees will land at the RAAF base about 8am. Passengers will be put on to buses and taken to the disused Inpex workers’ village at Howard Springs.

The village – which can hold 3500 people – has a range of facilities including a medical centre.

The move – confirmed on Friday night after it was earlier revealed by News Corp – has alarmed many nearby residents but health officials are stressing there is no risk to the general public or students at the nearby Good Shepherd Lutheran College.