China regulator approves charter flights to bring home Wuhan tourists

China's aviation authority has approved chartered flights to bring home from overseas trips some residents of the central city of Wuhan, the site of an epidemic caused by a new virus, state television said on Thursday.

Domestic and international airlines have cancelled flights between Wuhan and overseas cities since Jan. 23, in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.

The aviation authority also asked the airlines not to stop healthy Wuhan residents from boarding flights.