9 Spanish Coaches Trapped In Coronavirus Wuhan City

Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub EditorJoseph GolderAgencyGolder’s News And Sport

A Spanish football coach has said “please, get us out of here now before we get ill” as he and a reported eight other coaches are trapped in Wuhan where the coronavirus originated.

Nine Spanish football coaches are reportedly trapped in the city of Wuhan located in the province of Hubei located in Central China.

The image shows Jose Antonio Maldonado, Manuel Vela, Antonio Sevillano and Pedro Morilla who are four of the reported nine coaches that are trapped in the city.

Picture Credit: Golders/@ManuelVela71

They are in the Chinese city working at Wuhan Three Towns FC but now find themselves trapped in the city after the coronavirus outbreak which now has 6,145 reported cases and 132 deaths since its discovery in Wuhan.

Local media report the nine Spanish coaches decided to stay in the city while several other immigrant coaches decided to leave as they were on holiday for the Chinese New Year.

Maldonado spoke with Spanish newspaper ‘La Vanguardia’ and said: “We were not too worried at first but things got complicated as the number of cases and the death toll went up.”

He went on to say: “We cycled to work every day and I had to constantly ring my bell to not hit anyone on the street. Now, you do not see a soul in the street.”

Fears of the deadly coronavirus have left the city’s inhabitants locked indoors to avoid being infected as Maldonado says he leaves his home “only to buy food”.

The images show when Maldonado walked in the streets of Wuhan showing depleting supplies in shops and completely empty streets and pavement.

When speaking about his repatriation Maldonado said he maintains contact with the Spanish consulate in Beijing “but they always tell us the same thing, they are studying how to” help them leave the area.

Maldonado added: “The experience is unbelievable. Look at where we are during this coronavirus. Please, get us out of here now, before we get ill.

“Every day we stay here we run a higher risk of contracting this virus” adding that “it is a matter of days before we get infected if this keeps going like this. We have to get out of here now.”

Maldonado said he and the other Spanish coaches are all healthy with no signs of any physical problems but said: “The mental aspect is another thing which is starting to deteriorate.

“We only think about going back home and the wait is becoming eternal. For us and our families.”

Local media report the Spanish government is working with the United Kingdom and France to try and help their nationals exit the infected area however it is unclear if there are any formal plans for their repatriation.

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