HYDERABAD: Around 35 Telangana students were stranded at Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy on Wednesday evening when they were trying to leave the country. Coronavirus has claimed 631 lives in Italy and 10,149 are infected.
There are hundreds of Indians in Italy. On Wednesday evening, around 60 students from various colleges in Italy were at the airport trying to board an Air India flight. However, officials did not allow them to board.
Speaking to Express, Rachana Sushanthika, a Pharma student at UPO Novara University, a resident of Nizampet said, “We are at the airport but the airlines are not letting us board. The Indian authorities are asking us to provide them with a negative COVID-19 certificate. Hospitals here are only able to do the test for people with symptoms.”
Urging the Indian embassy to help them get the ‘Fit certificate’, another student said, “We are helpless, there is a complete lockdown in our respective areas due to COVID-19,” said Tejashree from Hyderabad.
Left with no option, many went to local gurudwaras or hotels late at night, said Pranav, another student.
After 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health responded to the plea of students, stating that provision for testing primarily for students/compassionate cases in Italy will be made and collection of samples will be organised.
Those testing negative will be allowed to travel and will be quarantined on arrival in India for 14 days.
Aswapuram woman shifted to Gandhi Hospital
A 25-year-old woman belonging to Aswapuram with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 was referred to the Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Dr Manikanta Reddy of Aswapuram Primary Health Centre informed the media that the woman returned to her native place from Italy a week ago. Her health condition is said to be stable, he said