… most of them were Bhutan Embassy officials 

Younten Tshedup 

Thirty Bhutanese arrived home after they were air evacuated from Delhi in a special chartered Drukair flight yesterday.

According to sources, of the total passengers, 26 of them were active Covid-19 cases. Donning the white coverall (protective suit) all passengers were directly escorted to the isolation facilities in Thimphu.

Sources said that six of them were directly escorted to the isolation ward at the national referral hospital.

It was learnt that the cabin crew and pilots of the aircraft were also directly sent to the quarantine facilities. The aircraft was also immediately disinfected.

Sources said that given the deteriorating situation in India, especially in Delhi, the infected Bhutanese, those in the Royal Bhutan Embassy, a few referral patients, and Bhutanese residents in the Indian capital city were evacuated.

Delhi currently is the sixth hardest hit state in India with a daily case detection of over 26,000 according to data compiled by the John Hopkins University.

India over the last few days has recorded more than a million Covid-19 cases. Ambulances, medical oxygen, intensive care unit (ICU) beds and life-saving medicines are all in short supply, according to media reports. Many have also recovered.

Reports show that at least two hospitals in Delhi have seen patients die after oxygen supplies ran out. It has become difficult for families to take their sick members to hospitals even if they manage to find a bed, and many people have died while waiting for one, according to reports.

The city’s testing capacity has also been overwhelmed, as per media reports.

Meanwhile, some 50 referral patients from Kolkata, India would also be returning home in another flight today, sources confirmed.