China delaying clearance for third evacuation flight from India: Sources

Even as India has sought clearance of the third flight from New Delhi to Wuhan for evacuating its nationals, China has not yet granted clearance, and sources say that the delay looks deliberate. As per sources, India's request for the third flight was submitted on February 13, and the flight plan was submitted two days after on February 15. While the date of flight proposed originally was February 20, clearance has not been given. Sources also say that within the period of this, flights from Japan, Ukraine, and France, have taken off from Wuhan on February 16, 19 and 20 respectively. 

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India's help to China

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently written to Chinese President Xi Jinping expressing solidarity with the government and people of China in fighting the epidemic outbreak. India had then also offered to provide assistance to China in the wake of the concerned situation. The government of India then put together relief supplies in pursuance of this commitment as a token of solidarity, particularly as this year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China. These suppliers have been offered even as India, itself, faces tremendous shortages, ANI reported quoting sources. The items that are being supplied include gloves, surgical masks feeding and infusion pumps and defibrillators based on the requirements as indicated by Beijing.

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India evacuated 650 citizens

Earlier this month, India had evacuated over 650 of its citizens from Wuhan in two 747 Boeing Air India aircraft. Yet, an unknown number of Indians remain in the area and their number is being ascertained, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. While 406 of these are being looked after at the quarantine ITBP facility, rest are at an Army center at Manesar in Haryana. The Indian Embassy in Beijing estimates more than 50,000 Indian citizens to have been working in mainland China as of early 2019.

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Coronavirus and its outbreak

The outbreak of the deadly virus took place in China's Wuhan in January. While the Chinese doctor, reprimanded by police after warning colleagues about the disease, died after falling ill, countries have started evacuating their citizens from China and have been issuing travel advisory. The virus was officially named 'COVID-19' at a conference in Geneva held by the World Health Organisation, and was declared a 'global public health emergency'. 

India in February, evacuated 645 people from Hubei, the province worst-hit by the coronavirus. People were lodged at the quarantine facilities set up by the Army and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in and around Delhi, and the Union Health Ministry last week informed that they have been tested negative. India has also reported three confirmed cases from Kerala. While the worldwide death toll due to coronavirus is 2,362, there are currently 77,924 confirmed cases in 32 countries and territories.

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(image from ANI)