406 people evacuated from Wuhan to be released from Monday

All 406 people, who were evacuated from China’s Wuhan city and are kept at an ITBP quarantine facility near New Delhi, have tested negative for the novel coronavirus infection in the latest examination and will be discharged in a phased manner from Monday onwards, officials said.

Reports suggest their final samples were collected by a team of doctors on Friday and all of them were found to be negative, an Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) spokesperson said on Sunday (February 16).

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All 406 persons are going to be discharged in a phased manner from Monday (February 17) onwards based on the advisory issued by the Ministry of Health with due medical procedures and protocols, the spokesperson said. Of the total 406, seven are Maldives citizens and the rest are Indians. There are seven children including an infant in the group.

A total of 650 people were brought back from Wuhan in China on February 1 and 2 in two 747 Boeing Air India aircraft after the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus in China. While 406 of these are being looked after at the ITBP facility, rest are at an Army centre at Manesar in Haryana.

India to send medical supplies to China

Meanwhile, India is soon set to send a consignment of medical supplies to China to assist the country in combating the epidemic. “As a concrete step to tackle the outbreak, India will soon send a consignment of medical supplies to China,” said India’s Ambassador in China Vikram Misri.

The death toll from COVID-19 outbreak in China has climbed to 1,665 after 142 more people died, mostly in the worst-hit Hubei province, officials said on Sunday. Misri said India will do everything within its means to assist the people of China in this time of difficulty.

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Indian officials said the details of the aid required by China are being worked out and the consignment would be sent as soon as they are finalised. Also, India has lifted the ban and cleared some of the medical equipment ordered by the Chinese importers to meet the requirements.

(With inputs from agencies)