A special jet sent by the Egyptian government to bring back hundreds of Egyptian nationals from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the Coronavirus, will land in Marsa Martouh governorate for quarantine, Egypt's Minister of Health Hala Zayed said on Monday.

In statements to CBC Extra News TV channel on Monday, the minister said that the special jet would land in Al-Alamein airport in Marsa Matrouh governorate, where the passengers will remain in quarantine for 14 days, which is the estimated incubation period of the coronavirus.

"If any one of them suffers from an increase in body temperature, he or she will be transferred to the equipped quarantine hospital immediately," Zayed said.

The Egyptian government has designated El-Negelah Central Hospital in Marsa Matrouh as a quarantine hospital.

Inside El Negelah Central Hospital in Marsa Matrouh which was assigned to be a quarantine hospital for Wuhan coronavirus in Egypt (Photo: Egyptian ministry of health)

The minister of health said that the special jet carrying Egyptians who requested to return home carries families and pregnant women, in addition to a 14-member crew and a special medical team of eight doctors and nurses.

An Airbus A330-200 aircraft took off from Cairo International Airport on Sunday morning bound for Wuhan with a special health ministry medical team on board. The flight has 297 seats.

Cabinet spokesperson Nader Saad said late on Saturday that 306 out of a total 345 Egyptian nationals in Wuhan had requested to return home.

Minister Zayed said that Marsa Matrouh governorate was chosen because it is one of the less polluted governorates in the country and it has an airport that can accommodate a large jet.

"Marsa Matrouh is one the less polluted governorates in the country, this important because the coronavirus is more active in polluted areas," she said, adding pneumonia is a symptom of the coronavirus.

Inside El Negelah Central Hospital in Marsa Matrouh which was assigned to be a quarantine hospital for Wuhan coronavirus in Egypt (Photo: Egyptian ministry of health)

Inside El Negelah Central Hospital in Marsa Matrouh which was assigned to be a quarantine hospital for Wuhan coronavirus in Egypt (Photo: Egyptian ministry of health)

Inside El Negelah Central Hospital in Marsa Matrouh which was assigned to be a quarantine hospital for Wuhan coronavirus in Egypt (Photo: Egyptian ministry of health)

Inside El Negelah Central Hospital in Marsa Matrouh which was assigned to be a quarantine hospital for Wuhan coronavirus in Egypt (Photo: Egyptian ministry of health)