Next batch of stranded Indians in Italy to be evacuated over weekend: MEA

The next batch of Indians stranded in coronavirus-hit Italy is expected to be evacuated over the weekend, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. It said 380 swab samples of Indian were brought back from Italy. Out of these, four have tested positive for coronavirus and the remaining 376 negative, Dammu Ravi, Additional Secretary in the MEA and the coordinator for the COVID-19, said at a media briefing.

A total of 218 Indians, mostly students, arrived here from Milan on Sunday, following which they were taken to an ITBP quarantine facility in south-west Delhi's Chhawla area. On evacuation of more Indians from Italy, Ravi said the European nation is severely affected by the disease.

"You are quite aware of the lockdown situation in Italy and the intra-provincial lockdowns have happened making it difficult to take any support from missions or to be able to evacuate," he said. "Despite these challenging circumstances, we have been able to evacuate Indians. We are planning the next batch over the weekend," he said.