Chinese authorities are “deliberately delaying” clearance for a third Indian flight that was expected to ferry medical and relief supplies and bring back the remaining Indian nationals from the Coronavirus-affected Wuhan city, news agency ANI reported quoting sources. China, has however, continued to maintain that there is no delay (even on friday), but inexplicably clearance has not been given.
“The Chinese side is deliberately delaying the grant of clearance for the evacuation flight. They continued to maintain there is no delay even on Friday, the day the flight was supposed to go, but inexplicably the clearance has not been given,” said a person who declined to be identified.
It may be recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping conveying solidarity of people and government of India with people and Govt of China in meeting the challenge of coronavirus outbreak;and offered to provide whatever assistance possible to China.
Meanwhile, The death toll in China’s novel coronavirus climbed to 2,345 with 109 more deaths reported, while the confirmed cases rose to 76,288 as a team of WHO experts, currently in the country to investigate the COVID-19 outbreak, is expected to visit the worst-affected Wuhan city on Saturday.
A total of 397 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported on Friday, while 109 deaths were reported from 31 provincial-level regions, Chinese health authority said on Saturday.