UPDATE 2-Egyptair to suspend mainland China flights over coronavirus

Egyptair will suspend all flights to and from mainland China starting on Saturday due to the coronavirus outbreak, the civil aviation ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

Flights from and to Hangzhou will be suspended on Saturday followed by flights to and from Beijing and Guangzhou on Feb.4 until further notice, the statement said. The last Chinese tourist group in Egypt will leave on Feb. 4, it said.

Egypt also said it was preparing a special flight to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and would quarantine them for 14 days on their return home. Concerns over the spread of the flu-like virus are growing as the death toll rises to 170.