Government plans to evacuate 300 Indians from China

Staff at a special ward in Hyderabad for treatment of coronavirus cases. Pic/PT

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday decided to take steps for possible evacuation of over 250-300 Indians from Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the fast spreading coronavirus. Officials said External Affairs Ministry will make a request to the Chinese authorities for evacuation of Indias, mostly students, stuck in Wuhan.

The ministry of civil aviation and ministry of health will make arrangements for transport and quarantine facilities, respectively.

Earlier, an Air India official had said they have kept one Boeing 747 ready for the evacuation. We are waiting for the Centre's decision, the official told ANI on Monday.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to airlift the Indians stranded in Wuhan.

Meanwhile, several states are on alert, taking preventive measures against the the deadly novel coronavirus.

The Uttarakhand Health Department on Monday sent medical teams to all districts to screen people for the disease, especially those coming from China and Nepal. "The screening has begun everywhere, especially in districts bordering the two countries. They have begun screening people coming from the other side of the border for symptoms of nCOV," she said.

In Bengaluru, two residents who returned from China about 10 days ago have been kept under medical supervision at a hospital as a preventive measure, the Karnataka Health Department said on Monday.

Another person who was admitted for medical supervision three days ago had been discharged after he tested negative for the virus.

In Hyderabad, too, three persons, who had travelled to China but do not have symptoms of the Coronavirus, were under observation of medical authorities, sources told PTI.

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