A special Air India flight evacuated 324 Indians from Wuhan in China, the epicentre of the Coronavirus outbreak. The jumbo B747 plane carrying the evacuees reached New Delhi on Saturday morning.
Earlier, six Indians were reportedly debarred from boarding the flight by immigration services because they were suffering from high fever.
There were five doctors from Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and one paramedical staff on board the flight.
An Air India spokesperson informed that the medical team on board was carrying medicines, masks, overcoats and packed food. “A team of engineers and security personnel are also there in the special aircraft. The whole rescue mission is being led by Captain Amitabh Singh, Director (Operations), Air India,” the spokesperson added.
There was no service or food served in the flight to minimise interaction between cabin crew and passengers. Cabin crew wore protective gear as well.
The Indian Army has created a special quarantine facility at Manesar near Delhi to keep those evacuated. The passengers will be monitored for a duration of two weeks.
So far, 259 people have died due to the novel coronavirus outbreak in China. The total number of confirmed cases has reached 11,791.
