(Image source from: english.mathrubhumi.com)

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has stated on Wednesday that seventeen Indians have been infected with the deadly COVID-19 in abroad.

V Muraleedharan who is the minister of state for external affairs has responded to a question in the Lok Sabha saying that around 16 cases have been reported from Japan on the cruise ship and another case of being infected by the deadly coronavirus has been reported in the United Arab Emirates.

The minister of state for external affairs has said that 16 Indians in Japan are being provided with treatment at onshore medical facilities in the specific countries.

He has added saying that the government of India has evacuated a total number of 766 people from China which is said to be the epicentre for the deadly novel COVID-19. out of the 766 people, 723 are said to be of Indian nationals and the other 43 are nationals of other countries.

Muraleedharan has said that, 119 Indians have been brought back to India in the similar manner from the cruise ship in Japan.

He has also said that a bill of Rs 5.98 crore has been raised by Air India for operating two special flights to China and also an Air Force flight has been sent to China carrying the medical relief material and the flight has also brought the Indians in the Wuhan city of China on its return journey.

The minister of state for external affairs, Muraleedharan has said that the details regarding the expenditure for the special flight from Japan to India which has been used for evacuating the Indians who have been stuck in the Japan cruise ship, is yet to be received from Air India.

The deadly novel coronavirus which has been officially named as COVID-19 has been first identified in the Wuhan city of China’s Hubei province and it has spread at an alarming rate claiming the lives of several people and infecting many more. This deadly COVID-19 virus has been spreading across China and also across several others countries and the first case of death that has been caused by being infected by the deadly novel coronavirus has been recorded in Philippines.

According to the reports, it has been recorded that the number of cases with confirmed as being infected by the deadly novel COVID-19 is said to be 95,509 and the deaths that has been caused due to being infected by the virus has been recorded as 3,286 in number.

By Shrithika Kushangi