Coronavirus outbreak: Indian Embassy in Iran to facilitate return of citizens

As the threat of coronavirus grows in Iran, the Indian envoy to Tehran said that the authorities are working to facilitate the return of citizens who wish to go back home. Dhamu Gaddam, India's Ambassador to Iran, took to Twitter informing that the discussions are underway with concerned authorities to work out arrangements.

On February 27, the Indian Embassy said that it has been receiving queries from Indian nationals residing in Iran and their relatives in India over the evolving situation of coronavirus. The Embassy informed that it is in touch with the local authorities in Iran and closely monitoring the situation. It also urged Indian nationals to follow the advisories issued by Iranian authorities and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

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While the official death toll in Iran due to coronavirus has remained at 34, a global media report suggested that at least 210 people died of the infection. Health Ministry has dismissed the claims but acknowledged that Iran will have a tough week ahead. “The main peak of the coronavirus will be in next week and the coming days,” warned the Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki.

Iran’s official report on the death toll has been a controversial issue after an Iranian lawmaker accused the government of hiding the full extent of the coronavirus outbreak in Qom. Ahmad Amiriabadi Farahani, an official from Qom, had accused Iran’s Health Minister of “lying” about the outbreak and said that at least 50 people died in the city due to the virus.

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Death toll in China crosses 2,800

According to the latest report, 47 new deaths in China due to coronavirus infections have been confirmed, taking the total death toll because of the deadly virus to over 2,800. While most of the cases are from Hubei province of China and the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, other countries, including Italy, Japan and the Philippines, have also now reported deaths related to COVID-19.

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(With AP inputs)