In Pictures: 175 Nepalis airlifted from Wuhan arrive in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU: A chartered Nepal Airlines flight landed here early this morning bringing home 175 Nepalis from Hubei Province of China where the coronavirus emerged over a month ago and has now spread to two dozen countries.[caption id="attachment_645912" align="alignnone" width="800"] Medics in protective suits examine passengers as the Nepal Airlines aircraft returns from Wuhan, the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak, bringing home Nepali citizens, at Tribhuvan International Airport, on Sunday, February 16, 2020. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT[/caption] [caption id="attachment_645917" align="alignnone" width="800"] Of the 175 people that boarded the Airbus A330 from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, 170 are students who went to different universities across six cities in the province including Wuhan. Photo: Skanda Gautam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_645913" align="alignnone" width="800"] The government had sent a special flight to bring home 185 citizens who had applied for their immediate evacuation as the deadly virus spread in the province. Photo: Skanda Gautam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_645914" align="alignnone" width="800"] However, six were held back by the Chinese authorities at the Wuhan airport citing medical reasons. Four others decided to stay back in Hubei at the last hour. Photo: Skanda Gautam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_645920" align="alignnone" width="800"] Videos of the passengers expressing relief on coming back home safely had surfaced on social media shortly after the plane landed at the airport. Photo: Skanda Gautam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_645915" align="alignnone" width="800"] Three pilots, six crew members, an engineer, a loadmaster and a health team comprising a doctor, nurses and paramedics from Nepal Army had accompanied the passengers. Photo: Skanda Gautam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_645916" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The passengers and crew members will be put under quarantine for at least 14 days. Photo: Skanda Gautam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_645919" align="alignnone" width="800"] A shared facility has been readied by the government to temporarily house the Hubei returnees. Authorities will take stock of their health on a regular basis and those showing symptoms and ultimately testing positive for the infection will be kept in isolation for treatment. Photo: Skanda Gautam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_645918" align="alignnone" width="800"] All 175 returnees along with the crew members of the flight who will share this ‘temporary base’ will undergo another test on the 14th day to rule out CoVID-19 contraction. Upon receiving clearance from medical personnel, they will then finally reunite with their respective families. Photo: Skanda Gautam[/caption]

Nepal

In Pictures: 175 Nepalis airlifted from Wuhan arrive in Kathmandu