The repatriation flights facilitated by the Australian authorities for its stranded residents in India resumed from Friday, in line with international minister Marise Payne.
Payne mentioned {that a} flight on Friday departed from Sydney to choose up Australian passengers in New Delhi earlier than arriving again in Darwin on Saturday.
“It has also carried life-saving oxygen equipment to India to support its COVID-19 response,” she mentioned.
Payne mentioned the passengers must bear a strict quarantine to verify they don’t seem to be carrying the variant of the coronavirus first recognized in India.
“These passengers will quarantine at the Centre for National Resilience at Howard Springs in the Northern Territory,” she mentioned, including all passengers would bear PCR and Rapid Antigen Testing earlier than they journey.
This can be the primary flight after the Australian authorities imposed a brief ban just lately with a risk of legal sanctions, together with 5 years in jail and fines of as much as 66,000 Australian {dollars} for individuals who attempt to return from India.
Payne mentioned this non permanent pause had helped mitigate the chance of probably larger charges of an infection presenting on arrival in Australia and ensured the quarantine system was capable of obtain additional flights.
“These government-facilitated flights will be focused on returning Australian citizens, residents and families who have registered with our High Commission and consular offices within India and will prioritise the most vulnerable people,” the minister mentioned.
Saturday’s flight into Darwin brings the entire variety of authorities facilitated industrial flights from India to 39 returning over 6,400 Australians since March 2020.
“This will be the second flight of essential medical supplies to support our partners in their COVID-19 health response under the Morrison Government’s 37.1 million Australian dollar support package for India, which is experiencing a severe rate of COVID-19 infections,” she mentioned.
The subsequent government-facilitated industrial flight from India is anticipated to reach in Darwin on May twenty third and preparations for additional facilitated flights into Australia are underway.
Australia has now delivered over 15 tonnes of medical provides to India, together with over 2,000 ventilators and greater than 100 oxygen concentrators.
Greg Hunt, the Minister for Health and Aged Care, mentioned the Australian Government stood prepared to supply additional emergency medical provides if requested by the Indian Government.
“The Australian Government is committed to doing all it can to support the Indian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hunt mentioned.
Payne additionally praised the response of Australian companies and on a regular basis Australians and welcomed the help provided from state and territory governments.
The Victorian Government has dedicated 1,000 ventilators, the Queensland Government has donated 2 million Australian {dollars} in aid funds to the Australian Red Cross and Western Australia has additionally donated 2 million Australian {dollars} in aid funds.
Australia can also be in shut session with the New South Wales and South Australian governments on their proposed help to India to fight the pandemic.
With 3,43,144 folks testing constructive for coronavirus in a day, India’s COVID-19 tally of instances climbed to 2,40,46,809, whereas the loss of life toll rose to 2,62,317 with 4,000 day by day fatalities, in line with the Union Health Ministry information up to date on Friday.
