India asks citizens in Wuhan to board its relief flight
The Indian Embassy in China on Monday asked its nationals in Wuhan city to board the relief flight it will be sending to the provincial capital of Hubei, which is the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, later this week with a consignment of medical supplies.
The Indian Embassy in China on Monday (February 17) asked its nationals in Wuhan city to board the relief flight it will be sending to the provincial capital of Hubei, which is the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, later this week with a consignment of medical supplies.
The death toll from COVID-19 outbreak in China has already climbed to 1,770 after 105 more people died, mostly in the worst-hit Hubei province, officials said on Monday. India had airlifted 650 people, including seven Maldivians and rest Indians, from Wuhan earlier this month.
GoI will send a consignment of medical supplies on a relief flight to Wuhan later this week to support China to fight the COVID-19 epidemic. On its return, the flight will have limited capacity to take on board Indians wishing to return to India from Wuhan/Hubei.(1/3) @MEAIndia
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) February 17, 2020
We urge all Indian nationals from Wuhan/Hubei who intend to avail this flight and have not yet contacted us, to urgently call our hotlines +8618610952903 and +8618612083629 or send email to helpdesk.beijing@mea.gov.in before 1900 hours today (17 February 2020) (3/3) @MEAIndia
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) February 17, 2020
“GoI will send a consignment of medical supplies on a relief flight to Wuhan later this week to support China to fight the COVID-19 epidemic. On its return, the flight will have limited capacity to take on board Indians wishing to return to India from Wuhan/Hubei,” the embassy tweeted.
Related news: 406 people evacuated from Wuhan to be released from Monday
The National Health Commission said 2,048 new cases of the virus have been confirmed, taking the total number of COVID-19 infected cases to 70,548, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
China has said that it needed medical masks, gloves and suits especially for the medical staff attending the virus affected patients. Masks also have become scarce in China in view of the nationwide demand in the last three weeks.
Hubei and its capital Wuhan have become the epicentre of the virus and most of the fatalities in China have been reported from the province.
(With inputs from agencies)
Related news: 2 more Indians on board Japan cruise ship test positive for coronavirus