IAF plane takes off to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran amid coronavirus outbreak
New Delhi/ IBNS: A C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force has taken off from Hindan airbase for Tehran today, to airlift Indian citizens, the government said in a statement today.
IAF's medical team and support staff is onboard the aircraft for the humanitarian assistance mission, the statement said.
The aircraft will return with Indian citizens in the early hours of Mar 10, it informed.
"Indian Air Force has made all necessary operational and medical arrangements to ensure the expeditious and safe return of our countrymen from Iran," the government statement read.
Indian nationals have been stranded in Iran where at least 194 people have reportedly died so far from novel coronavirus infection.
Iran is one of the worst-hit countries by coronavirus after China where the deadly virus first emerged in late December last year.
At least 2000 Indians are reportedly staying in Iran.
A team of Indian scientists had set up a lab to screen the Indians for coronavirus infection.
Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases has now crossed 1,10,000 globally, said reports.
The number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 43 on Monday as four new cases were reported from Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi, informed reports.
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