The Morrison government is under mounting pressure to evacuate Australians stranded in China by the coronavirus outbreak as the number of citizens seeking consular help in the locked-down province of Hubei hit 400 Auspol
The NSC met on Monday to discuss the developing situation and will do so again on Wednesday and Friday.
A spokesman for Austrade said there were no major trade missions under way and future trade missions would be assessed "in regard to any potential health risks or travel bans". Biosecurity officials are meeting all planes that arrive from China and handing out information pamphlets, speaking with passengers and asking if they have symptoms.
"The Royal Australian Air Force should be involved," he said. "The government does need to do better on this ... They are in contact with people in Beijing who are in charge and should be indicating to China that we want to get our citizens out. We need to be looking at all options."The US will evacuate some consular staff from Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, on a charter flight on Tuesday, and Japan and France plan to evacuate citizens in the coming days.
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