217 at ITBP quarantine centre after evacuation from Italy test negative for COVID-19

A group of 217 Indians evacuated from Italy have been found negative for the coronavirus after spending over a fortnight at an ITBP quarantine facility, officials said on Friday.

They said the inmates, who were brought here on March 15 after being evacuated from Italy's Milan town on a special Air India flight, are now being released from the centre in a phased manner.

"A total of 218 Indians were sent to the ITBP facility on March 15. 217 people have been found negative for COVID-19 after tests," a senior Indo-Tibetan Border Police officer said.

One inmate from this batch was allowed to leave sometime back on compassionate grounds due to the death of his father, he said.