Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio on Monday thanked the medics and military staff who accompanied 56 Italians to Rome from Wuhan - epicentre of China's deadly coronavirus outbreak.
"Thanks to the medical and military staff and the apparatus of the state that worked to bring our fellow Italians home from Wuhan," Di Maio tweeted.
The Italians received screening for the coronavirus at Pratica di Mare military airport upon their arrival on Monday and are being kept in quarantine for two weeks at Cecchignola military base in Rome.
So far, none of the repatriated Italians has shown any symptoms of the flu-like virus.
There have been two cases of the coronavirus confirmed in Italy - two Chinese tourists who are receiving treatment at Rome's Spallanzani military hospital.
Italy last week banned commercial flights to and from China.
