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Coronavirus pandemic

Hainan Airlines to resume 2,000 more flights suspended amid coronavirus

Hainan Airlines resumed over 450 flights last week

HAIKOU, March 2. /TASS/. Hainan Airlines plans to resume another 2,000 flights that were previously suspended amid coronavirus outbreak this week, Xinhua reported on Monday, citing the airline.

The decision comes as authorities see an improvement in the epidemiological situation both in the Hainan Province and in China's other regions. The company, first of all, intends to resume flights to the busiest and most popular cities such as Shenyang, Ningbo, Taiyuan and Guangzhou to help businesses get back to normal.

Hainan Airlines resumed over 450 flights last week. Moreover, the airline launched charter flights for government agencies and enterprises since February 19, thus contributing to the general efforts in resuming normal production activity across the country amid an improvement in the epidemiological situation. Hainan Airlines has also developed special preferential programs for doctors, including discounts on tickets, simplified procedures for cargo clearance and check-in, as well as full compensation for the cost of the ticket in case of cancellation.

A pneumonia outbreak caused by the COVID-19 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV) was reported in China’s city of Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center with a population of 12 million, in late December. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak in China a global health emergency, characterizing it as an epidemic with multiple foci.

Cases of the new coronavirus have also been reported from 67 other countries, including Russia. The most serious situation outside China is reported in Italy and South Korea. According to the latest update, the number of confirmed cases of the disease in China has exceeded 80,000, with more than 2,900 people killed by this coronavirus. More than 44,400 have recovered.

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