“Due to the epidemiological situation in the Chinese province of Hubei, it has been decided to evacuate citizens of the Republic of Poland. Thanks to cooperation with our European partners, Poles are currently on their way to France, from where they will be taken by special military aircraft of the Polish Armed Forces to Wroclaw", Morawiecki wrote on his Facebook page.
The prime minister said that none of the evacuees are suspected of having the coronavirus but will nonetheless undergo tests upon arriving in the country.
Most governments began evacuating their citizens from Hubei Province in late January. Many are currently quarantined in their own countries and being monitored for signs of infection.
The novel coronavirus was first detected in China's Wuhan in late December and has since spread to more than 20 countries. The virus has already killed 304 people in China and infected 14,411. Another death was reported on Saturday in the Philippines where a 44-year-old male resident of Wuhan died.
The World Health Organisation earlier this week announced an international public health emergency to prompt all nations to take precautionary measures.
