Coronavirus: Medicos from Rajasthan trapped in China hostels, relatives worried

JAIPUR: Thirty-two medical students, at least 10 of them are from Rajasthan, studying at Wuhan’s Hubei University of Chinese Medicine (HUCM), are trapped inside the hostels as the Chinese government has locked down the city as a precautionary measure keeping in mind the spread of novel coronavirus in Wuhan.
The relatives of the students are worried about them. The students are in touch with their families and narrated their ordeal.“I am in touch with my friends doing MBBS. They have told me that the university has started supplying food at their rooms as they are not allowed to go outside the university due to scare of coronavirus. They are scared due to it,” said Amit Nitharwal, a resident of Jaipur and friend of medical students trapped in hostel of the university.
He said that all his friends are fine as he is talking to them regularly. However, for the students trapped inside the hostels, the scare of coronavirus haunts them. There is a batch of 59 students, all from India, who have got admission in MBBS in HUCM in December 2018. Since, the university had announced winter vacations from January 10 till February 24, all the students have returned except 32, who preferred to stay at the university.
“At that time, there was no scare of coronavirus. There are 18 students from Rajasthan who returned to our homes for winter vacations, but those 32 who have not returned have to stay in hostels taking precautions. They have to wear mask all the time as a precautionary measure,” said a medical student of Sikar district, on condition of anonymity.
He said that they have received the message from the university that the winter vacations might be extended due to coronavirus. Those medical students trapped in hostels had decided not to go home in India in winter vacations due to their personal reasons. They had decided to go home in vacations in June. But, they were not aware that they will be stuck in a situation, which will haunt them throughout their life. Those who returned took flights from January 12 to January 20.
The relatives of students trapped inside hostels expressing concern that the shops have also been closed in the area. “They are facing difficulties as the Indian and Pakistani dhabas have also been closed due to winter vacations. Most of the shops have also closed. They are living life under scare of the disease. They wanted to come back home. The university is situated in Wuhan, which is the epicentre of coronavirus,” said one Mohammad Saud of Sikar, his cousin brother is studying in Wuhan’s HUCM.