US Brings Back 30,000 Citizens From Overseas During COVID-19 Pandemic - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd April, 2020) The US government has so far evacuated more than 30,000 Americans from overseas locations during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Bureau of Consular Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ian Brownlee told a Department of State briefing.

"We have now repatriated over 30,000 US citizens from over 60 countries on more than," Brownlee said on Wednesday. "There are more than 80 flights scheduled or in the planning stages from various locations.

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Coronavirus Global Response Coordination Unit (CGRCU) Special Coordinator Dr. Charles Rosenfarb told the briefing the evacuation program began in January and was initially to return US citizens from China.

"We are seeing the greatest demand for repatriation assistance from US citizens in South Asia and Central and South America," Brownlee said.

There is still demand to assist US citizens to return home from across the globe, Brownlee told the briefing.