24.86°C Vancouver

Jan 29, 2020 9:40 PM -

Expat family expecting baby soon hopes Britain can get them out of China

Share On
plane-arranged-to-fly-160-canadians-out-of-wuhan
Tom Williams along with his wife Lauren and son James are seen in this undated handout photo. Tom Williams is a British expat who has been living and working for about five years in Wuhan, which is the capital of Hubei province in China. His wife Lauren, who is from Langley, B.C., is about 35 weeks pregnant, he said in a telephone interview from Wuhan. He also has a two-and-a-half-year-old son, James, who was born in White Rock, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Tom Williams *MANDATORY CREDIT*

A pregnant Canadian woman, her young Canadian son and Tom Williams, the child's British father, are the latest to share their concerns about getting out of Wuhan, the Chinese epicentre of an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus.

Williams says his wife is 35-weeks pregnant and his son is under three years of age, and the whole family is waiting for word about whether they will be allowed to depart Wuhan later today on a flight organized by the British government.

As they were waiting, the Canadian government announced it has arranged a plane to fly 160 Canadians out of Wuhan -- but details are still being worked out and there's no word if Williams and his family will be on it.

An outbreak of the novel flu-like respiratory illness began in Wuhan late last year, infecting more than six-thousand people and spreading to other countries, including Canada, although health officials here say the risk of transmission remains low.

Latest news

BCJun 19, 2026

Vancouver driver crashes into tree after fleeing police through underground parking garage

A 30-year-old Vancouver man was taken to hospital with minor injuries after allegedly fleeing police and crashing into a tree in downtown Vancouver on Thursday. According to the Vancouver Police Department, officers identified a vehicle being driven by a prohibited driver after an automatic licence plate reader in a patrol vehicle flagged a car with expired insurance. Police said the vehicle was being operated by a driver who was prohibited from driving. Police attempted to stop the vehicle near Howe and Robson streets. Investigators allege the driver failed to stop and fled through an undergr
b-c-approves-underground-block-cave-mining-expansion-at-red-chris-mine
BCJun 19, 2026

B.C. approves underground block-cave mining expansion at Red Chris Mine

The British Columbia government has approved an amended environmental assessment certificate allowing underground block-cave mining at the Red Chris Mine in northwestern B.C., according to a decision announced following a review by the Environmental Assessment Office. The Red Chris Mine currently operates as an open-pit copper and gold mine. The amended certificate permits the project to transition to block-caving, an underground mining method that extracts ore from beneath the surface. The approval follows consultation with the Tahltan Central Government, which provided its consent for the am
canada-imposes-10-temporary-tariff-on-certain-canned-vegetable-imports
CanadaJun 19, 2026

Canada imposes 10% temporary tariff on certain canned vegetable imports

The federal government has imposed a temporary 10 per cent tariff on imports of certain canned vegetables, a measure Ottawa says is intended to support Canadian producers facing international market pressures. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced Friday that the surtax takes effect immediately and could remain in place for up to 200 days. According to the federal government, the measure is designed to provide temporary protection for Canada's domestic canned vegetable industry while authorities assess market conditions. The tariff will not apply to imports from the United St
AlbertaJun 19, 2026

Crane driver missing after vehicle plunges into Wapiti River near Grande Prairie

A crane operator remains missing after a commercial vehicle left a bridge and entered the Wapiti River near Grande Prairie, according to the RCMP. Police said the incident occurred Tuesday when the crane struck a guardrail on the Wapiti River Bridge and went into the river. Emergency crews, including RCMP officers, firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, responded to the scene. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mathew Howell said the crane remains submerged. The cause of the collision is under investigation. According to RCMP, divers have not been able to enter the river because of strong currents
skm-delegation-raises-bbmb-membership-water-management-concerns-with-punjab-governor
IndiaJun 19, 2026

SKM delegation raises BBMB membership, water management concerns with Punjab Governor

A high-level delegation of the SKM meet Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria at Lok Bhavan on Thursday to discuss a range of agriculture-related issues involving both the central and Punjab governments. According to farmer leaders, the meeting lasted about 90 minutes and focused on concerns related to water management, institutional representation and policies affecting the farming sector. The delegation also submitted a memorandum outlining its demands. Among the key issues raised was a demand for the immediate withdrawal of the notification that ended Punjab's permanent membership in the Bhak

Related News