OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is going through a "deliberate process" to airlift nearly 200 Canadians out of the epicentre of the outbreak of a novel coronavirus.
Speaking to reporters in Montreal, Trudeau says his government is doing what it has to do to ensure the risk to Canadians at home remains low.
Canada is seeking Chinese approval to send a plane to the city of Wuhan to collect the 196 Canadians who have asked for help to leave.
Trudeau says the government is co-ordinating evacuation efforts with other countries.
"It is a deliberate process in which we are engaged responsibly," Trudeau said.
He also said Canada will continue to provide the international community and World Health Organization expert advice to ensure the threat from the virus remains low in Canada, and, to the extent that is possible, around the world.
Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne spoke to his Chinese counterpart overnight about the coronavirus outbreak, a day after the WHO called it a global health emergency.
Champagne says China's Wang Yi responded positively to that request.
Champagne says he expressed solidarity with the Chinese people's suffering from the outbreak and offered Canada's help during their Thursday phone call.
Champagne also commended the Chinese government for its "fact-based response" to the crisis.
A statement from Champagne's office says the two also discussed the situation of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, the two Canadians imprisoned in China without access to lawyers or family members for more than a year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2020
