175 Nepalis Airlifted From Hubei

16 Feb, Kathmandu : One hundred and seventy-five Nepali nationals from six different cities across Hubei Province of the People’s Republic of China were airlifted from Wuhan this morning by a charter flight of Nepal Airlines. Of the 175 nationals, 170 are students, one employee, two visitors, and two children.

The flight that departed for Nepal at 00:52 am Wuhan local time landed at Tribhuvan International Airport at 03:22 am local time. The Embassy of Nepal in Beijing had arranged six separate vehicles to bring the Nepali nationals from different cities of Hubei Province to the airport.

The numbers of Nepali nationals from the six cities who boarded the flight include 55 from Wuhan, 25 from Enshi, 29 from Shiyan, eight from Yichang, nine from Jingmen, and 48 from Jingzhou, according to a statement released by the Embassy earlier today. Of them, 134 are male and 41 are female. Out of the 185 applicants, four later decided to stay back in China while six could not board the plane due to medical reasons.

Necessary procedures including temperature checks were completed before boarding the plane. The returnees will be kept in quarantine for at least 14 days in Kharipati, Bhaktapur before they go to their respective homes.

Meanwhile, 100,000 pieces of face masks donated by the Government of Nepal to the Chinese Government through the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu were brought to Wuhan on the same flight, and were handed over to Hubei Charity Federation at the airport.

The Embassy of Nepal, Beijing has expressed its sincere thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China for its support and co-operation in facilitating the process of sending back the Nepali nationals.

The Embassy also expresses its profound thanks to the Civil Aviation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CAAC), Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) of the Hubei Provincial People’s Government of China, the concerned Universities of Hubei Province, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, and the local transport authorities of Hubei for their valuable support and co-operation extended to the Embassy in the process, adds the statement.

Rescued 175 Nepalis in Kharipati quarantine

The 175 Nepalis airlifted from Wuhan of China earlier this morning have been taken to the quarantine set up at Kharipati. The Nepal Electricity Authority training centre has been converted into a temporary quarantine where they will spend at least two weeks before going home.

Likewise, the members of the crew of the Nepal Airlines aircraft that brought back the Nepali students have been taken to the Drinking Water training centre in Nagarkot. They include three pilots, two nurse and seven other crew members.

Upon arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, all the 175 underwent a health check-up before they were transported via four buses to Kharipati. The men, women and the medical teams have been separated into three different buildings inside the training centre.

One room includes at least two to three beds at a distance of at least one meters, including intercom telephone facility. They will be continuously monitored during their stay at the quarantine and will be shifted to the Shukraraj hospital or Patan or Armed Police hospital in case they are suspected of carrying the coronavirus.

The people in the quarantine will not be allowed to meet with their family members or outsiders. However, the visitors’ room will provide information about the people in the quarantine for the family members and relatives. A media room has also been established outside the quarantine premises.

A round-the-clock joint security provision has been made, with the control room overseeing the centre. The security team is also working to spread awareness in and around the vicinity to quell any misconceptions about the quarantine.