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Coronavirus: UAE’s Indian ambassador tells expats, ‘no need to panic’

Bachelors in crowded clusters will be helped for meals, healthcare

Abu Dhabi: The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has urged UAE-based Indians not to panic amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a video message on Facebook, the Indian ambassador to the UAE, Pavan Kapoor, said, “As Indian ambassador to the UAE I would like to assure you all of us here at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi as well as Indian Consulate in Dubai, are here to work with you and see you through these difficult times.

“The community has been very good following orders and advisories of the UAE government with the regards to the social distancing as well as the curfew norms,” he said.

“I know these are the difficult times, the virus is spreading, the numbers of infected people are increasing and so is the case of Indian nationals. I think there is no need to panic,” he added.

The ambassador then went on to praise the UAE authorities.

“In the UAE, we have some of the best health facilities in the world. I want to appreciate the work of the UAE authorities and all front line health workers for efforts they are making to take care of all residents of the UAE including the Indian nationals.

“On our part at the embassy, we are trying to work with the departments of health to see how we can create some facilities to help Indians who are living in clusters to move out of them if any of them is found positive so that the spread of the disease is controlled,” he said.

“We are also trying to help in terms of medical counselling, so the telephone lines we have created of Indian doctors who have volunteered to help out in this service,” he said.

“I do understand that several of our fellow beings also have problems in accessing food and medicines at this time. Some of our bachelors living in crowded conditions and are now in conditions of quarantine where they don’t have access to food. Whether it’s in form of cooked food and food kits to prepare meals, we are going out of the way to help and reach out all of you with lots of help from our volunteers and all our community associations,” the ambassador said.

On the return of Indians, he said, “I know many of you would like to return to India and I am sure there will be a time when this can happen. The government of India, once it decides that we are in a position to allow overseas Indian back in the country, we will work closely with the UAE authorities to ensure it’s done in a smooth and efficient manner,” he said.

Of course, the priority will be given to those who need to go back earlier, Kapoor said.