Germany to airlift nationals from Nigeria over COVID-19

ANKARA (AA) - Germany will evacuate its nationals in Nigeria who want to return home amid coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak fears, Nigerian local media reported Monday.

“The German embassy in Abuja and the German consulate general in Lagos want to determine as reliably as possible the number of German compatriots and their family members who are still in Nigeria and are interested in returning to Germany,” the Daily Post website quoted the German Mission in Nigeria as stating Monday.

“Due to the extraordinary circumstances with regard to COVID-19, temporary entry restrictions were decided for Germany and international air traffic to and from Nigeria until April 23rd,” read the statement, referring that some of German nationals have already left Nigeria before these restrictions were applied, according to the daily.

The virus known as COVID-19, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 177 countries and regions around the globe.

Global death toll from the virus climbed over 35,000 on Monday, while the cases topped 740,000, with over 156,000 recoveries, according to figures compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.