Evacuation doesn't mean bringing everyone, those testing Coronavirus negative to be brought first: MEA

New Delhi: Amid the government's plan to evacuate Indians in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the External Affairs Ministry on Thursday said that an evacuation does not mean bringing back everybody and people who test negative for the infection will be brought back first.

It also asked the citizens in other countries to stay put.

The comments were made by MEA Additional Secretary Dammu Ravi who has been appointed as the nodal officer to coordinate efforts to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Addressing a press briefing, Ravi said, "Rome and Milan are two areas where India's medical team is likely to go but I don't have confirmation on it so it will be decided by ambassadors."

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said a medical team will be reaching Italy on Friday morning and they will be looking into issues faced by Indian students in getting negative (coronavirus) certificates. Tests will be conducted and those who test negative will be issued certificates so they can board commercial flights.

He said that India has received requests from Bhutan, Maldives, Iran and Italy for assistance with surgical masks and protective gears.

"We are processing request from Bhutan, Maldives, Iran and Italy. They are under different stages of processing," Kumar said.

Anil Malik, a Home Ministry official also present at the briefing said that in the wake of coronavirus scare, the number of people coming to India dropped by 40 per cent in last 20 days and the number will come down further.

He requested Indians abroad to avoid non-essential travel to India

"On February 20, 63,200 Indians came while on March 10, 43,900 came so the number is coming down and we hope the number will come down further with these advisories and measures," Malik

said.

Ravi, responding to a question, said evacuation does not mean bringing back everybody as it asked the citizens in other countries to stay put.

"We have to be clear that evacuation does not mean that we are trying to bring everybody. We need to understand that people who are not contaminated will be first brought in," Ravi said.

"We will have a sample testing medical team going there. Tomorrow a team will go and get the samples. Samples will be coming through various sources by previous flights. These are being tested in India and those who are negative cases will be brought in. In case of Italy, a medical team will go there.

"In Iran a medical team is already stationed and the samples are coming in on regular basis and being tested and then we take measures on how to bring them back and that is a situation which evolves on daily basis," he said.

Ravi advised that wherever there are Indians abroad they should stay put.

"Our advice is that wherever the Indians are stay put because one will never know if you are carrying the symptoms of it because it might become prominent after a number of days, so it advisable that wherever our people are stay put and only travel if they have compelling reasons," he said.

He also urged Indians abroad to take the COVID test locally to the extent possible so that on arrival it would be easier for airport authorities to let them in.