175 Nepalis have returned home from Hubei Province of China, the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak.
They were rescued in a chartered plane of Nepal Airlines early morning yesterday. Of the 175 nationals evacuated, 170 are students, one employee, two visitors, and two are children.
Nepali nationals were evacuated from six cities of the province including Wuhan (55), Enshi (26), Shiyan (29), Yichang (8), Jingmen (9) and Jingzhou (48).
Of them, 134 are males and 41 females, according to a press release issued by the Embassy of Nepal in China.
Out of the 185 applicants, four later decided to stay back in China whereas six could not board the plane due to medical reasons. Necessary procedures including temperature checks were completed before boarding the plane.
Those rescued were elated upon arriving the home country. Several of them expressed their happiness on twitter. Ashok Shah, a PhD Research scholar in Wuhan of China who was one of the rescued wrote on Twitter, “Happiness in darkness, from gloomy to cheers.. feeling of returning motherland from corona virus hunted city… Jay Nepal !!”
Happiness in darkness, from gloomy to cheers.. feeling of returning motherland from corona virus hunted city…
Jay Nepal !! pic.twitter.com/V3s86tguHC— ashok (@ashokshah3538) February 15, 2020
Similarly was the feeling of Chandra Bhushan Shah.
कोरोना वाइरस उदगमस्थल चाइनाको वुहान शहरबाट हताशा निरशा र जीवनको अनिश्चिता बाट आफ्नो मातृभूमि फर्किदा खेरीको अनमोल खुशी.. आफ्नो घर आफनै हुनछ। जय नेपाल!! pic.twitter.com/b6AYU5P4NI
— Chandra Bhushan Sah (@info_bhushan) February 15, 2020
Some even created satirical cartoons to criticize the delay in rescuing Nepalis from Wuhan.
टिकटक बनाइयोन्त 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/8bj7BrawA7
— Rabi Mishra (@rabimishra) February 14, 2020
The rescued will be kept in quarantine for at least 14 days. They will stay in 60 rooms, with six persons sharing one restroom. Each evacuee has been provided with masks, hand sanitisers, towels, soaps, and slippers.
Those quarantined should record their body temperature twice a day and should immediately inform the medical team if they think they have any symptoms of COVID-19.
The evacuees, however, will not be allowed to meet their parents and guardians during the quarantine period and will be under CCTV surveillance round the clock, according to health ministry.
