Palermo (Sicily): Migrants rescued by a German-flagged charity vessel have been transferred to an unused passenger ferry off Palermo, Sicily, for quarantine in case any are infected with COVID-19.
The Italian coast guard said 146 migrants were taken off the Alan Kurdi and put on the ferry, which has Italian Red Cross personnel aboard to monitor their health conditions.
Four migrants were evacuated previously for health reasons from the Alan Kurdi which had conducted the rescues in the Mediterranean Sea on April 6.
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The day after the rescue, Italy banned any foreign-flagged rescue vessels from docking at Italian ports.
Under government policy, rescued migrants who reach Italy are to be distributed to the European Union countries which have previously agreed to share the burden of caring for them.
The migrants set out in dinghies or fishing boats launched by Libya-based human traffickers. Italy has one of Europe's worst coronavirus outbreaks.
(With inputs from AP)
