16 of 78 evacuated from Afghanistan test COVID positive after landing in Delhi

Out of 78 people, who were evacuated from Afghanistan and landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport yesterday (August 25), at least16 have tested positive for COVID-19. As a precautionary measure, all 78 people have been quarantined. The infected evacuees also include the three Sikhs who brought back with them Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan Gurdwaras.

Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and V. Muraleedharan received the Guru Granth Sahib at the Delhi airport from the Sikhs. No comment has come from the union misters so far about coronavirus.

All those who are positive have been admitted to LNJP Hospital and the rest are quarantined at an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp in south-west Delhi's Chhawla.
All the evacuees coming from Afghanistan will have to undergo quarantine for 14 days at the ITBP quarantine centre, according to the guidelines of the Health Ministry.

"As the COVID-19 immunization status of these individuals is unknown, and the exact extent of COVID-19 transmission (including circulation of variants) in Afghanistan is unclear at present, so as a matter of abundant precaution, it has been decided that the arriving persons shall undergo a mandatory minimum 14 days' institutional quarantine at Sector Headquarters Logistic and Communications, Indo Tibetan Border Police, Chhawla Camp," the Union Health Ministry`s office memorandum said.

Earlier on Tuesday, 78 people, including 46 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, flew into Delhi from Kabul via Dushanbe on an Air India flight along with three copies of Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib.

Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government has activated foreign missions near Afghanistan to speed up the evacuation of stranded Indian citizens and Afghan nationals, including Hindus and Sikhs, from the war-torn country. The Kabul airport has been closed for commercial flights and only military aircraft are allowed to land and take off from there.

(With IANS inputs)