Seven Maldivians, out of nine in Wuhan City in China where the deathly Novel Coronavirus was first discovered, have been evacuated.

While Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid announced their departure from China on an Air India flight, they have since landed in Delhi. The Maldivians were evacuated along with 323 Indians residing in Wuhan, on a special Air India flight, according to the Indian Embassy in Maldives.

All seven Maldivians will be kept in quarantine at a dedicated facility established in Manesar for a stipulated period, with all Indian evacuees. While nine Maldivians reside in Wuhan City, seven took the opportunity provided by the government to return home.

The Indian embassy said that they were evacuated after “close” coordination with the foreign ministry, adding that the evacuation exercise began as soon as necessary approvals were received from the Chinese Government. The embassy also highlighted that it had been in close contact with the Maldivian embassy in Beijing, through the process.

The Indian embassy said that “this timely evacuation once again spotlights India's abilities as a first responder in times of emergency for the Maldivian people,” and that it underscores “the special and time-tested bonds of kinship that exist between India and Maldives, and, the synergy between India's Neighbourhood First and the Maldives' India First policies.”

Back in 2015, India helped to evacuate a Maldivian student from Yemen, due to the spiraling violence in the country.