ITBP gears up for fresh batch of evacuees from China, starts fumigation process

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp at Chhawla is now gearing up for a fresh batch of evacuees from China who are expected to reach India by Friday morning. According to reports, around 120 to 150 people are expected to reach Delhi, out of which two are diplomats. The ITBP team has reportedly started the process of fumigation. 

Speaking to the news agency, ANI, "There is a team of almost 25 doctors out of which 14 doctors were from ITBP, two each from BSF, the CRPF and the SSB. Apart from this, AIIMS and Safdarjung hospitals have given us two of their doctors. There were also psychiatrists and psychologists from RML and other hospitals." 

Health Min meets the first batch at ITBP

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday met the first batch of Indians who had been airlifted from Wuhan earlier at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Quarantine Facility in Chhawla. In a coordinated operation with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, two Special Air India flights were operated between Delhi and Wuhan on January 31 and February 1. The two flights airlifted a total of 654 passengers, out of which 647 are Indian citizens, including two Indian Embassy officials who were on ground in Wuhan to coordinate the evacuation operation, and 7 Maldivian nationals.

Read: Maldivians evacuated from Coronavirus-hit Wuhan discharged from ITBP to return home

Death toll rises in Mainland China

The death toll for the novel Coronavirus hit 2,004 in mainland China. As per the Chinese state health committee, the number of confirmed cases has gone up by 74,185. According to China's National Health Commission, 1,749 new cases of novel coronavirus infection have been confirmed.

Read: Coronavirus outbreak: Passengers begin to leave quarantined cruise ship in Japan

First detected in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, the virus outbreak has now spread across 20 countries since December 2019. About 1,701 people have recovered from the disease, whereas, a total of 12,552 coronavirus patients have by now been discharged from hospitals. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has dubbed the virus as COVID-19. 

Read: China declares extra exam points for kids of medical professionals amid coronavirus spread

Read: 200 Wuhan evacuees set to be discharged from ITBP facility in Manesar today

(With ANI Inputs)