Flights sent to bring Indians from Iran, Italy

Indian medical teams sent to Coronavirus-affected Italy and Iran have collected samples from more than 1,200 Indian nationals who want to return to the country, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

The collection of samples and screening of Indians began earlier in Iran as a six-member team of health officials was sent to that country last week in view of the pressure put on the Iranian infrastructure by the Covid-19 outbreak, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

Some 1,200 samples have been collected in Iran and the first two batches of 108 samples and 529 samples were brought back to India on March 7 and March 10 respectively by special flights. Those who tested negative in these batches were being brought back to the country, the people said.

The Indian embassy in Italy tweeted photos on Saturday of a large number of Indian students wishing to return being tested for Covid-19 by a four-member medical team that reached Rome on Friday. An Air India flight sent to Italy on Saturday is expected to bring back some 250 people on Sunday.

The missions in Iran and Italy are in touch with Indians and advising them on health protocols. They are also coordinating with stranded Indians to ensure their testing is done smoothly, the people said.

The external affairs ministry has created a special cell led by additional secretary Dammu Ravi to coordinate Coronavirus response-related issues internally and externally. External affairs minister S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Harsh Shringla are also monitoring the situation.

So far, the embassy in Beijing helped organise three special

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flights to Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, that brought back 723 Indians and 43 foreigners belonging to seven countries in February. One of these flights also carried 15 tonnes of medical relief materials to Wuhan.

The Indian embassy in Japan mounted an evacuation flight in February that brought back 119 Indians and five nationals of Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru who were quarantined on board the cruise ship Diamond Princess.

So far, 102 people have been evacuated on two flights organised by the mission in Tehran and another flight left India on Saturday to bring back more Indian students.

Indian missions in the US are also coordinating the evacuation of Indians quarantined aboard the cruise ship Grand Princess, which is docked at Oakland.