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Evacuees get to go home
Evacuees from Wuhan, China finally get to go home after a 14-day quarantine at Travis Air Force Base because of the coronavirus concerns. Sara Zendehnam reports
FAIRFIELD, Calif. (KTVU) - Evacuees from Wuhan, China finally get to go home after a 14-day quarantine at Travis Air Force Base because of the coronavirus concerns.
KTVU cameras were rolling as two shuttles of evacuees were dropped off in front of the base’s visitor’s center. The emotional reunions came after a very uncertain time.
“I have no words to describe it was a really hard time,” said Abdullah Alamoudi who was reunited with his family. They split up in China, Alamoudi went to Shanghai for business while his wife and daughters went to Wuhan to visit family. Then the city shut down.
“We called the Embassy, contacted them thank God they picked them up and said they are going to be safe. Just needed to take some time to watch them and make sure they are going to be ok,” said Alamoudi.
Alamoudi’s family got on the first flight of evacuees from Wuhan that landed at Travis Air Force Base on February 5th. After completing a 14-day quarantine, they were finally allowed to leave.
“Yes, they were really kind,” said Alamoudi’s wife Yasmin Wu when speaking about her treatment on base.
180 people under mandatory quarantine at Travis AFB and were medically cleared by the Center for Disease Control. Health officials said the evacuees are no threat to the public.
Another shuttle bus with evacuees is supposed to leave the base Tuesday afternoon.
Other state department chartered flights landed at Travis AFB this month.
A second flight landed on February 5th, but those passengers were taken to MCAS Miramar in San Diego. The 166 evacuees from that flight are also free to go home. One person from the Miramar group tested positive for coronavirus and is being cared for at a hospital.
Another flight landed at Travis AFB on February 7th from Wuhan. Later this week, their quarantine will be lifted.
Newly quarantined cruise ship passengers who came to Travis AFB from Japan on February 16th are being housed in a separate area.
According to the CDC:
Later this week, all remaining people recently returned from Wuhan, China, via State Department-chartered flights are anticipated to complete their 14-day quarantine. Newly quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship passengers are being kept separate from those individuals who are already at Travis and nearing the end of their quarantine.