NEW DELHI, Mar 12: Coronavirus outbreak is a matter of “great concern” and the Government’s initial focus is to bring back Indian pilgrims stranded in Iran, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said today.
Speaking on the situation arising out of the spread of the Coronavirus, he said there are over 6000 Indian nationals in various provinces of Iran.
These include about 1100 pilgrims mainly from the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra. Besides there are nearly 300 students, primarily from Jammu and Kashmir; about 1000 fishermen, including from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat; and others who are on longer term stay in Iran for pursuing their livelihood and religious studies.
Over the last few days, the Government has been making focused efforts for the safe return of the stranded Indians, he said.
Jaishankar said during his recent visit to Srinagar, he met parents of some of the students who are in Iran.
“Their anxiety at this time is completely understandable. I shared with them in detail the ground situation and sought their understanding. I assured them that the Government would facilitate the earliest possible return of their children. Sampling of these students has begun today,” he said.
Given the scale of COVID-19 infection and its pressure on Iran’s own resources, a team of six Indian health officials has been deputed to Iran to set up testing and sampling facilities there.
New Delhi is working with Iranian authorities to operate some limited commercial flights for facilitating early return of remaining Indians after testing them, he told the House.
The “initial focus is on bringing back pilgrims, mostly stranded in Qom”, he said, adding 58 citizens from Iran has been brought back and the Government was working with Iranian authorities to operate some limited commercial flights for facilitating early return of the remaining Indians after testing them.
The Minister also informed that there are 1,000 Indian fishermen who are stranded in Iran, but they are in the region which is not affected by the virus.
He said a team of health professionals has been sent to Iran to set up testing facilities there for Indians.
Meanwhile, the Coronavirus cases in India rose to 74 today after 14 fresh cases were reported from several States, including nine from Maharahtra, Union Health Ministry said.
Asking people not to panic, the Union Health Ministry said no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there has only been cases of local transmission so far.
With the Novel Coronavirus being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, Raman R Gangakhedkar, the head of the Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases-I, a division of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said even though the virus is difficult to isolate, scientists at the National Institute of Virology in Pune have been successful in finding about 11 isolates, but developing a vaccine will take at least one-and-a-half to two years.
The total number of 74 patients in India includes 16 Italians and one Canadian. The figure is inclusive of three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month following recovery.
Giving a State-wise breakup, the Ministry said Delhi reported six positive cases and Uttar Pradesh 10. Karnataka has four cases, Maharashtra 11 and Ladakh three.
Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each. Kerala has recorded 17 cases, including three patients who were discharged last month.
Lav Aggarwal, the Joint Secretary in the ministry, said 1,500 people who came in contact with these 74 infected people were under rigorous observation while over 30,000 people across the country were under community surveillance. (PTI)
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