Air India Flight With Second Batch Of Passengers Takes Off From Coronavirus-Hit Wuhan

The special flight of Air India carrying second batch of Indian passengers on board took off from coronavirus-hit Wuhan in China on Sunday. The special flight is expected to land in Delhi at 0910 hours. Earlier on Saturday, Air India's jumbo B747 plane, evacuated 324 Indian nationals from Wuhan.

Air India special flight carrying the second batch of Indian passengers on board took off from Wuhan (China) at 0310 hours today. The special flight will land in Delhi at 0910 hours. #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/ensVp4PW1s

— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2020

“The 2nd Air India flight from Wuhan (China) has taken off for Delhi with 323 Indian citizens on board. 7 Maldives citizens also evacuated”, news agency ANI quotes Vikram Misri, Ambassador of India to China as saying.

“A special word of appreciation for two of our officers who are on board the plane - Deepak Padmakumar and M Balakrishnan - they showed exemplary fortitude and a real spirit of public service by travelling to ground zero in #Wuhan to coordinate airport arrangements. Kudos to both,” he tweeted.

A special word of appreciation for two of our officers who are on board the plane - Deepak Padmakumar and M.Balakrishnan - they showed exemplary fortitude and a real spirit of public service by traveling to ground zero in #Wuhan to coordinate airport arrangements. Kudos to both.

— Vikram Misri (@VikramMisri) February 1, 2020

The death count in China’s due to coronavirus outbreak has reached to 304 and the number of confirmed cases notched up to 14,380, China’s national authorities announced on Sunday. All the deaths are in Hubei Province, according to China’s National Health Commission.

Another 4,562 new suspected cases were reported on Saturday, said the commission. On Saturday, 315 patients became seriously ill and 85 people were discharged from hospital after recovery, the Commission said.

The first case of the new virus was confirmed on December 31, and it has since been detected in Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.

Also Read: 75,000 In Wuhan Infected With Coronavirus: Study Estimates

The virus' rapid spread in two months prompted the World Health Organization on Thursday to declare it a global emergency.

Moreover, the United States declared a public health emergency on Friday and President Donald Trump signed an order barring entry to foreign nationals who visited China within the last 14 days, which scientists say is the virus' longest incubation period. The restrictions don't apply to immediate family of American citizens and permanent residents.

Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Air India Special Flight Carrying 324 Indians From Wuhan Lands In Delhi

Australia, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Vietnam all reported new cases Saturday. Spain confirmed its first case - a German man who had close contact with an infected person in Germany and then travelled to the Canary Islands with friends. Four friends who were hospitalized with him have not shown symptoms.

(With PTI inputs)