Cathay lets crew wear masks on all flights amid coronavirus fears

Crew members and frontline employees of Cathay Pacific will be allowed to wear masks amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

"Due to the evolving information from health authorities, we will allow crew members and frontline airport employees to wear surgical face masks when on duty at their discretion," the statement from the Hong Kong carrier read.

They added that passengers travelling to and from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus originated, will be allowed to rebook, reroute or seek a refund for no additional fee until February 15.

Meanwhile, the Chinese aviation regulator told mainland carriers to allow passengers to cancel or change flights to Wuhan for free.

It comes as nearly 400 cases of the virus have been reported in China, mostly in Wuhan where authorities said nine people had died.