India Brings Back 195 Indians, 41 Foreigners From Wuhan & Japan
The IAF flight to China also included 15 tonnes of medical supplies as a sign of solidarity with the Chinese govt.
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A total of 195 Indians and 41 foreigners were evacuated on two separate flights from coronavirus-hit Wuhan in China and the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked off Yokohama in Japan on Thursday, 27 February.
Both flights landed safely in New Delhi early morning on Thursday.
A special Air India flight from Japan brought back 119 Indians and 5 foreigners to the national capital who were on board the Diamond Princess.
An Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft brought 112 people that includes 76 Indians, 23 citizens from Bangladesh, six from China, two each from Myanmar and the Maldives and one each from South Africa, the US and Madagascar.
The IAF flight to China also included 15 tonnes of medical supplies as a sign of solidarity with the Chinese government to tackle the outbreak in China.
Earlier, India had evacuated around 650 Indians from Wuhan in two Air India flights who were kept at the ITBP facility and another quarantine facility set up by the army in Manesar.
All people later tested negative for the virus and were allowed to go home after over a fortnight of quarantine.
The ITBP spokesperson said a team of doctors, paramedics and others will be present at the quarantine facility round-the-clock and the inmates will be provided facilities like food, bed and indoor entertainment to spend time.
The foreigners, who were brought back to India on board the special Air India flight, included two from Sri Lanka and one each from Nepal, South Africa and Peru.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Prime Minster of Sri Lanka shared his gratitude for the evacuation of the Sri Lankan citizens on Twitter.
All the evacuees will undergo a 14-day quarantine at a medical facility set-up by the Indian Army in Manesar.
Three Indian crew members did not board the special flight and conveyed their wish to continue their stay on board the cruise ship to complete the period of extended quarantine put in place by the government of Japan, a government statement said.
Out of the total 138 Indian nationals originally on board the Diamond Princess, 16 Indian crew members have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) and are receiving necessary medical care and treatment at onshore medical facilities in Japan.
They were among the 3,711 people on board the Diamond Princess ship when it docked at the Yokohama port, near Tokyo, on 3 February.
The ship was quarantined after a passenger who disembarked last month in Hong Kong was found to be the carrier of the disease.
(With inputs from PTI)
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