India's Minister of State for External Affairs has confirmed that a total of 276 Indians abroad have tested positive for coronavirus. In India, of the 147 positive cases, 122 are Indian nationals. This take the tally of total number of Indian nationals to test positive to COVID-19 at 397.
Among Indians abroad, 255 are in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, one each in Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Kuwait and Rawanda.
On March 17th, there were reports that 254 Indian pilgrims in Iran had tested positive for COVID-19. These tests were conducted by the Indian doctors sent by the government to set up temporary testing labs for pilgrims stranded in the country.
Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Dhamu Ravi, during the regular briefings organised by the health ministry on coronavirus, didn't deny the number, saying they were verifying the list.
"With large number of pilgrims in Iran, it is very possible that some have tested positive. We are verifying numbers. Rest assured our mission there is taking good care of them," he said.
In the meantime, an IANS report says New Delhi has asked Tehran to grant a sanatorium for the Indian pilgrims who tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Iran, the Middle East country badly hit by the pandemic.
There are over 6,000 Indian nationals in various provinces of Iran. Of them, there are about 1,100 pilgrims mainly from the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and the state of Maharashtra and nearly 300 students primarily from Jammu and Kashmir.
IANS further adds, around 1,000 fishermen from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat and others stay in Iran earning their livelihood and for religious studies.
Sources told IANS that though health officials were visiting the Indian patients in their respective lodges in Iran every day, the Indian government was exploring a sanatorium for them.
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