An Australian citizen in Wuhan says his mother is terrified he may be quarantined on Christmas Island over coronavirus fears.
Daniel Ou Yang is an Australian in the Chinese city of Wuhan and fearful of his uncertain future.
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The 21-year-old is at ground zero of the deadly coronavirus which has claimed more than 100 lives.
He's visiting family in Wuhan but says he wants to head home to Sydney to see his girlfriend and get back to his real estate business, but is unsure about the living conditions on Christmas Island if he's evacuated there.
Australians trapped in Wuhan due to the outbreak will be evacuated to Christmas Island, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday.
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Speaking to AAP from his family's home in Wuhan, Mr Yang said his mother wanted him to stay in China where they know he will be safe and treated well.
"Will I be treated as an Australian or as a detainee? I am in their hands and can only hope it will go smoothly," Mr Yang said.
There are about 600 Australian citizens in Wuhan, however the government is yet to say how many they can evacuate to Christmas Island.
Even if he decides to travel there, Mr Yang is unsure if he will be allowed on the flight because Mr Morrison said priority will be given to infants and the elderly.
Mr Yang found out about the evacuation through friends messaging him news articles after the prime minister made the announcement in Canberra.
He has not heard from the Australian government in four days.
"I know we would be kept in the detention centre and the treatment of detainees is not the best," Mr Yang said.
Unity and resilience is how he has described the mood in Wuhan, from where his family emigrated 12 years ago.
He likened the atmosphere in Wuhan to Sydney during the worst of the recent bushfires, but acknowledged there was fear in town.
"From our apartment it is quiet. I know there is hysteria at the hospital and some of the shops," he said.
"Of course there will be fear, like in Sydney when people feared the fires around them."
But he believes the community will continue to support each other.
"Outside my apartment window two nights ago there were people singing in the street together," he said.
"We are very strong. We are united."
