Some evacuees from Afghanistan have tested positive for COVID-19: Govt

Some of those evacuated from Afghanistan have tested positive for COVID-19 and they have been isolated and are being treated, the government said on Thursday.

Responding to a question at a press conference, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, "Whoever lands (in India) they are given anti-polio vaccine because wild polio is still prevalent in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have also made arrangement that all of their RT-PCR tests are done and some of them have tested positive."

He said over 400 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan so far.

Bhushan said those who tested positive for the coronavirus have been isolated and are being treated.

He said, "Several people have been sent to ITBP camp in Chawala (Delhi) where they are quarantined and they will stay there for 14 days and from there it will be decided where they have to be sent."

India on Thursday evacuated 24 of its citizens and 11 Nepalese nationals in a military aircraft from Kabul in the backdrop of further deterioration in the security situation in the Afghan capital.

It has earlier evacuated its embassy personnel, other Indian nationals and some Afghan nationals, including Hindus and Sikhs.

The Taliban swept across Afghanistan this month, seizing control of almost all key towns and cities including Kabul in the backdrop of the withdrawal of the US forces.