Many Keralites among 300 Indians stuck in Italy over coronavirus curb; plead for help
KOCHI: Over 300 passengers, the majority of them Keralites, are stuck at the Milan International Airport on Tuesday after the Italian officials denied them permission to board flights to India citing the Union Health Ministry's advisory to furnish a certificate from authorized laboratories that they are COVID-19 negative.
They told The New Indian Express over phone that despite the panic calls to the Indian Embassy, the Indian officials are yet to respond.
"Since the virus is rapidly spreading across Italy, it is not safe to be here. The basic needs like food and travel are getting limited and hence we are returning home," said Muhammed Ashiq T, a Ph.D. student in Italy. He said he booked a ticket for a Tuesday night flight to Delhi.
“The ministry's directive is impractical,” Ashiq said. “A person living in a safe environment will have to go to a potentially virus-affected laboratory for medical checkup. With people exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms queuing up for tests, the laboratories will not be ready to tend to a person with no symptoms,” he said.
“Even if we obtain the certificate, there are chances of contracting the disease while travelling or from any other place,” he said.
Another person who returned to Kochi on March 3 from Italy said such measures will only make it difficult for people wishing to leave the affected country.
“There are apprehensions while boarding a flight. At the same time, there is the hope of reaching one's homeland,” said the Aluva native who did not wish to be named.
“The government officials are not taking enough measures to tackle the spread of the virus in Italy. People are freely travelling in public transport.
Many are risking their lives to reach airports and catch available flights to India. The new advisory will make things more difficult for them,” the Kochi native alleged.
A video, which has gone viral, showed Malayalee families at the Milan airport, urging an immediate intervention by the Indian authorities to help them board the flight to India.
"We can't board the flight due to the restriction put by the Italian authorities, citing the Indian government's advisory prohibits them to carry the passengers," said one woman.
What the advisory says
The March 5 advisory issued by the ministry says, “The country (India) has imposed additional visa restrictions on people travelling from or having visited Italy and South Korea. They must submit a certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19 from government-approved laboratories of their respective countries before the commencement of their travel.”
The temporary measure came into effect from the midnight of March 10.