234 Indians evacuated from coronavirus-hit Iran, quarantined in Jaisalmer

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Jaipur, March 15

Two Air India flights carrying over 230 Indians from coronavirus-hit Iran landed here on Sunday morning and the passengers have been quarantined at the Indian Army Wellness Centre in Jaisalmer.

While External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that a total of 234 Indians have been evacuated from Iran, defence spokesperson Col Sombit Ghosh said, “236 persons have landed in Jaisalmer by two Air India flights this morning.”

Jaishankar said the batch comprises 131 students and 103 pilgrims.

“234 Indians stranded in Iran have arrived in India; including 131 students and 103 pilgrims.Thank you Ambassador Dhamu Gaddam and @India_in_Iran team for your efforts. Thank Iranian authorities,” Jaishankar tweeted.

“They are being quarantined at the Indian Army Wellness Centre at Jaisalmer,” a defence PRO said here.

The centre is fully equipped and a functional facility to help Indian citizens undertake the mandatory quarantine period under the supervision of skilled medical authorities.

Soldiers have volunteered to provide care and support to the countrymen returning from overseas, he said.

The Army Wellness Centre is working in synergy with the Civil Administration, Airport authorities and Air Force to ensure proper care is provided to the evacuated citizens.

This is the third batch of Indians evacuated from Iran.

A second batch of 44 Indian pilgrims had arrived from Iran on Friday.The first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims were brought back from Iran on Tuesday.

Iran is one of the worst-affected countries by the coronavirus outbreak and the government has been working on plans to bring back Indians stranded there.

218 evacuated from Italy sent to ITBP quarantine                  

New Delhi: A total of 218 Indians, mostly students, brought here from Italy on Sunday have been taken to an ITBP quarantine facility in south-west Delhi’s Chhawla area, officials said.

The Air India flight from Milan landed around 9.45 am at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).

Out of the total Indian nationals in this group, 211 are students.

“All the 218 evacuees from Milan are being taken to our quarantine facility in south west Delhi’s Chhawla area. They will be there for over a fortnight as per quarantine procedures,” an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) spokesperson said.

The facility has earlier catered to two such batches of Indians and foreigners, evacuated from Wuhan in China, totalling 518 people.

The ITBP centre, like in the past, will have a dedicated team of doctors, para-medics and other staff apart from providing food, medical testing and indoor entertainment facility to the inmates, the spokesperson said. With PTI