572 Indians stranded abroad land in Mumbai, quarantined

Nearly 572 Indians who were stranded abroad due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown landed at the Mumbai international airport early Sunday morning, a Maharashtra government official said.

Of these, passengers belonging to Mumbai were kept under mandatory institutional quarantine in hotels near the airport, while those hailing from other cities were taken to their respective places where they will be kept in isolation in hotels taken over there for the purpose, the official said.

Two flights, one from London and another from Singapore, landed here in the morning, he said.

"Some 572 passengers have arrived. They were first screened and then kept in isolation as per the Union government's guidelines. They will have to undergo the mandatory health checkup and remain quarantined at the accommodation provided by the state," he said.

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A flight from Manila (Philippines) carrying 241 passengers is expected to land here on Sunday night, he added.

The official said among the passengers who arrived on Sunday, maximum were from Mumbai while some belonged to other Maharashtra cities like Pune, Dhule, Kolhapur, among others.

Passengers from other cities were sent there in transport facilities provided by the state, the official said.

"They will also be kept in local hotels taken over temporarily for the isolation purpose. Their health will be monitored. If anyone tests positive for COVID-19, he/she will be shifted to a local hospital dedicated for such treatment, he said.

The Maharashtra government has already converted all civil hospitals in the districts into facilities for treatment of COVID-19.