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About 6,300 Indian citizens abroad have tested positive for the new coronavirus, representing a serious logistical challenge for the government when it decides to evacuate the stranded Indians abroad. The number has nearly doubled in the past 8-9 days as it stood at 3,336 on April 16.
The number of deaths of Indian citizens caused by Covid-19 abroad also shot up to 40 out of 25 during this period, official sources told ToI. Infections are spread in more than 50 countries.
Singapore and the Gulf countries together account for more than 50 percent of infections. Singapore, in fact, has now taken control of Kuwait as the country where the largest number of Indians is infected, over a thousand.
Official sources here said that almost 90 percent of infected Indians in Singapore were workers living in residences for foreign workers. They said the spread inside the dorms was expected.
The Singapore government is said to be providing all medical and other assistance to workers. Earlier this month, Indian High Commissioner Jawed Ashraf had visited one of the dormitories where thousands of Indian workers live.
More than 2,000 Indians have also been infected in Gulf countries such as Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Hundreds of Indians are also infected in Iran.
The increase in the number of infected people, from 3,336 to 6,300, in just over a week is significant. The Foreign Office had first said in Parliament on March 18 that 276 Indians had hired Covid-19 abroad. However, 255 of them were only in Iran, one of the most affected countries. The number took a month to increase to 3,336, as the government confirmed on April 16. However, after that, it took just 9 days for the number to skyrocket to almost 6,300.
While Indian missions remain in contact with local authorities to ensure adequate treatment for Covid-19 Indian patients, it remains open to speculation whether or not they can return to India soon. So far, the government has avoided bringing Indian citizens who tested positive for Covid-19 back abroad. It has been said that this is not because India lacks quarantine facilities, but because of the extremely infectious nature of the disease and the risk associated with its travel.
The government, in fact, stopped operating evacuation flights entirely after the shutdown, asking Indian citizens in warnings across the globe, from Southeast Asia to Europe, to remain where they were due to the shutdown in India.
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The number of deaths of Indian citizens caused by Covid-19 abroad also shot up to 40 out of 25 during this period, official sources told ToI. Infections are spread in more than 50 countries.
Singapore and the Gulf countries together account for more than 50 percent of infections. Singapore, in fact, has now taken control of Kuwait as the country where the largest number of Indians is infected, over a thousand.
Official sources here said that almost 90 percent of infected Indians in Singapore were workers living in residences for foreign workers. They said the spread inside the dorms was expected.
The Singapore government is said to be providing all medical and other assistance to workers. Earlier this month, Indian High Commissioner Jawed Ashraf had visited one of the dormitories where thousands of Indian workers live.
More than 2,000 Indians have also been infected in Gulf countries such as Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Hundreds of Indians are also infected in Iran.
The increase in the number of infected people, from 3,336 to 6,300, in just over a week is significant. The Foreign Office had first said in Parliament on March 18 that 276 Indians had hired Covid-19 abroad. However, 255 of them were only in Iran, one of the most affected countries. The number took a month to increase to 3,336, as the government confirmed on April 16. However, after that, it took just 9 days for the number to skyrocket to almost 6,300.
While Indian missions remain in contact with local authorities to ensure adequate treatment for Covid-19 Indian patients, it remains open to speculation whether or not they can return to India soon. So far, the government has avoided bringing Indian citizens who tested positive for Covid-19 back abroad. It has been said that this is not because India lacks quarantine facilities, but because of the extremely infectious nature of the disease and the risk associated with its travel.
The government, in fact, stopped operating evacuation flights entirely after the shutdown, asking Indian citizens in warnings across the globe, from Southeast Asia to Europe, to remain where they were due to the shutdown in India.
