Coronavirus: India to send medical team to Italy; EAM calls Iran, Italy extreme situations

The government will be sending medical team to Italy to screen its Indian citizens and facilitate their evacuation as coronavirus spreads in the southern European country, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has announced in the Parliament.

Speaking in the upper house of the Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Jaishankar said, "We are hoping by tomorrow to fly in a medical team to Italy. Just as we did in Iran. We will do testing of the people and try and put them on early flights"

On the issue of COVID free certificates from Italy, that is hindering Indian citizens to leave Italy, Jaishankar explained, "Advisory that everyone from Italy should carry COVID free certificate was issued a week ago. I understand the problem. It was not a last-minute imposition".

India evacuated 58 Indians from Iran on Tuesday via a special Indian Air Force flight. The flight also carried samples of 529 Indians stranded in the country to be tested. 

Calling the situation in Italy and Iran as "extreme situation", EAM said, more Indians will be evacuated from Iran in the "next slot of flight".

About 6000 Indians in Iran, out of which 1100 pilgrims from UT of J&K, Ladakh & state of Maharashtra, 300 students from UT of JK and 1000 Fishermen from Kerala, Tamil Nadu & Gujrat.

India sent 3 flights to Wuhan, China to evacuate more than 700 people including many foreigners. Later it sent one flight to Iran to evacuate citizens from the country.