13.92°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

AlbertaMay 06, 2026

Alberta man re-arrested hours after release for alleged breach of internet ban, police say

A 47-year-old Alberta man is back in custody after police say he breached court-ordered restrictions on internet use just hours after being released from jail. According to a Lethbridge Police Service news release, the man was released from custody at about 7 a.m. last Friday. Police allege he was observed shortly before noon the same day using a social media account at a public library to view images of children. Police say the man is subject to a lifetime prohibition order that restricts his access to social media and other internet platforms. The order was imposed following his convictions
kamloops-rcmp-investigate-targeted-overnight-shooting-as-homicide
BCMay 06, 2026

Kamloops RCMP investigate targeted overnight shooting as homicide

Police in Kamloops are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred overnight, with investigators confirming the case is being treated as a homicide. According to a statement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, officers have released few details about the circumstances of the shooting, but say early evidence suggests the attack was targeted. Mounties have not disclosed the exact location of the incident. However, police are asking anyone who was in the 200 block of Columbia Street between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. to contact investigators. They are also seeking dashcam footage from the area during
AlbertaMay 06, 2026

Alberta UCP staff attended meeting about voter database before app was shut down

Alberta's United Conservative Party caucus says staff attended a meeting to discuss how to access a website that's now the focus of investigations into a massive breach of personal data. The caucus says in a statement that staff regularly attend meetings of political interest and, in this case, organizers told them the database was obtained legally. The database contained the names and addresses of three million Alberta voters and was run by the Centurion Project, a group committed to getting Alberta to leave Canada. Elections Alberta says Centurion was not legally entitled to h
former-vancouver-mayor-alleges-b-c-cabinet-minister-under-investigation
BCMay 05, 2026

Former Vancouver mayor alleges B.C. cabinet minister under investigation

Former Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart says he has been interviewed by federal lawyers regarding what he alleges is an investigation into a British Columbia cabinet minister for possible collaboration with China’s government. Stewart said Premier David Eby and other cabinet members are aware of the matter. He did not identify the minister and did not provide documentation to support the existence or scope of any investigation. The RCMP said it is reviewing a request for comment but did not confirm any investigation. The B.C. government did not respond to a request for comment by publication
census-2026-letters-mailed-as-canadians-required-to-complete-survey-by-may-12
CanadaMay 05, 2026

Census 2026 letters mailed as Canadians required to complete survey by May 12

Households and farm operators across Canada will begin receiving letters this week with instructions to complete the 2026 national census, with responses due by May 12, according to Statistics Canada. The agency says Canadians are expected to complete the survey within about a week of receiving the letter, as required under the Statistics Act, which mandates a census every five years and requires participation from all households and farm businesses. Under the act, those who do not complete the census could face a fine of up to $500. The last census, conducted in 2021, collected data on popula

Related News