New Delhi (NVI): With coronavirus affliction spreading dangerously in China, the Indian government today requested China for permission to operate two flights to bring back its nationals from Hubei Province, the epicenter of the deadly disease.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet that the Indian Embassy in Beijing is in touch with Chinese officials to work out necessary logistics in this regard.
“Chinese Government requested for permission to operate two flights to bring back our nationals from Hubei Province of China. @EOIBeijing in touch with Chinese authorities on the ground to work out necessary logistics. We will share regular updates,” the tweet read.
Earlier, the Indian Embassy said that it is “working hard to ensure smooth evacuation of our citizens from Hubei province.
“We are already in touch with many sections of Indian community in Hubei, including our students,” it said in a tweet, also shared by MEA handle.
In another tweet, the embassy urged all Indian citizens from Hubei who have yet not contacted it to do so urgently on the hotline numbers shared by it.
Earlier today, the Indian Government advised its citizens against travel to China even as the state-carrier Air India and private airline Indigo announced suspension of flights to various cities in that country.
Coronavirus, a new kind of virus, has already claimed over 130 lives and nearly 1500 new cases of the infectious disease have been reported, with Chinese officials confirming nearly 6,000 total cases of the mysterious illness.
“In view of the spurt of cases bring reported from China and travel-related cases appearing in many countries, the travellers to China are advised the following: PLEASE REFRAIN FROM TRAVELLING TO CHINA,” the Health Ministry said in a fresh advisory today.
“All travellers from China to monitor their health closely,” the ministry added.
Shortly after the advisory was issued, Air India said it was cancelling flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong.
“Cancellation charges for travel to/from Shanghai & Hong Kong on Air India flights is waived off with immediate effect till further notice,” it tweeted.
The airline has taken the decision in a bid to encourage travellers from restraining from travelling to China.
Indigo said it was going to suspend Delhi-Chengdu and Bengaluru-Hong Kong flights from February 1 to 20 while monitoring on a daily basis the Kolkata-Guangzhou flights which will continue to operate for the time being.
There were reports that Air India has kept a Boeing 747 plane on standby for the evacuation of Indians from Wuhan in Chinese province of Hubei.
Meanwhile, according to media reports, Japan and the US are evacuating their nationals from Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly virus outbreak.
