1st Batch Of Evacuees At ITBP Camp Discharged

COVID-19 Virus 200 people brought back from virus-hit Wuhan to go home

- Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu

There was cheer in the ITBP camp in Chhawla on the outskirts of Delhi as nearly half of the Indian citizens under quarantine were told that they were free to go, with a certificate of health provided by the medical team.

The Indian government had evacuated 650 Indians and seven Maldivians from Wuhan after the outbreak of Covid-19 virus.

Since then, for 409 of them a make shift camp created by the ITBP had been their home. But on Monday, nearly 200 residents were given okay to leave the camp. Among them were a number of students, professors, Yoga teachers and businesspersons.

One of the youngest of the lot is two-year-old Inaya Bhandari, who was bundled up and brought back to India by her parents on the first rescue flight on February 1. Inaya's parents Dhirendra and Nutan Bhandari are both yoga teachers in Wuhan, China. Their classes were a rage.

But recounting her experience, Nutan said, “We were hearing of Covid-19 virus since December 2019, it wasn't bad then. But by January end, things were serious and we reached out to the Indian Embassy in China. They were prompt and helpful.”