The United Arab Emirates has evacuated some 210 Arab nationals -- both of the UAE and its neighbors -- from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus is believed to have originated, via aircraft, embassy officials in Seoul said Thursday.

The evacuees are to be received at the new Emirates Humanitarian City in the UAE, where they will undergo medical testing and a 14-day quarantine for maximum safety.

“The move follows the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to establish a healthcare facility that will provide the individuals hailing from neighboring Arab countries with the necessary monitoring and preventative medical care following their evacuation from the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak,” the UAE Embassy in Seoul said in a statement.

It added the Emirates Humanitarian City is to provide quality care for admitted patients while ensuring their privacy.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)