Australians back home after coronavirus quarantine
A lot more than 200 Australians have already been flown back after 14 days in quarantine on remote Christmas Island amid coronavirus fears.
They were evacuated from China's Hubei province - the epicentre of the deadly outbreak - on 3 February.
With no cases reported during the minimum required time, these were taken to six cities across Australia.
Most of the returnees, including children, expressed relief, saying these were happy to be finally home.
A lot more than 70,600 persons across China have been infected by the virus, with 1,771 deaths. Most new cases and deaths during the past 24 hours have been reported in Wuhan, Hubei's most significant city.
More than two dozen countries all over the world have confirmed cases of the new coronavirus. Australia is included in this with 15 cases.
Outside mainland China, five deaths have already been reported - in France, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan.
The virus, which in turn causes acute respiratory disease, has been named Covid-19.
What's the latest on the Australian returnees?
The Australian citizens and everlasting residents, including a large number of children, arrived back on Monday evening.
"I'm really glad we will be able to go back home now. Personally i think really lucky," Catherine Chen, who landed in Perth, was quoted as saying by Australian broadcaster ABC.
Ms Chen, who runs a childcare centre in Western Australia, have been separated from her husband for per month after travelling with her two children to Hubei.
Meanwhile, Mel Pleno arrived back Sydney along with his wife and three children.
"We're very grateful for the Australian government and their response to the problem, and chartering a plane for my family another," Mr Pleno said, quoted by Australia's 7 News.
None of the returnees will be asked to take any more tests.
What's Christmas Island?
The remote island can be an Australian external territory, about 2,700km (1,680 miles) from the mainland, and is best known because of its immigration detention centre.
Since 2003, thousands of asylum seekers have already been detained there under Australia's hardline refugee policy.
Evacuees had previously expressed concern about the plan, and some have elected to stay in Wuhan.
The Christmas Island facility was closed in 2018 but re-opened the next year.
Critics had earlier questioned the state of medical facilities on the island, and the holding of citizens within an immigration detention centre.
