Coronavirus: India Sends C-17 Globemaster Military Aircraft To Iran To Evacuate Indians

The Indian government sent an Indian Air Force transport aircraft to Iran on Monday night to evacuate Indians stranded in the coronavirus-hit nation. The C-17 Globemaster military aircraft departed from the Hindon airbase around 8 pm. About 2,000 Indians are living in Iran, a country that has witnessed increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in the last few days.

Three days ago, a Mahan airline plane had brought swab samples of 300 Indians from Iran to India. The Union Health Ministry was initially considering setting up a laboratory in Iran to test Indians living in the country for coronavirus. However, the plan was shelved due to logistical issues.

The development comes even as Iran on Monday reported 43 new deaths from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall toll to 237 dead.

Also Read | Iran Announces 43 New Coronavirus Deaths, Raising Counts To 237

Kianoush Jahanpour, the health ministry's spokesman said the rate of new infections was dropping "but it is still too early to judge" when the outbreak could be brought under control.

"Forty-three people have unfortunately been added to the number of those who have died of the disease, so to date we have 237 dead." The outbreak of the virus in Iran is one of the deadliest outside of China, where the disease originated.

With 1,945 cases, the capital Tehran remains the province with the most cases, according to the official. The second worst-hit province with 712 confirmed cases is Qom, the Shiite pilgrimage city south of Tehran where the Islamic republic's first cases were reported.

(With PTI inputs)