Dr Padma Madduru travelled to India in mid-April, which was the first opportunity she had to return to visit family following the death of her father last year.

"Her mother was grieving, and is elderly, so she thought she would go home and see her mother and her family," said Dr Ramana Teddy Kaipu, who operates general practice clinics in Molong and Canowindra, and employs Dr Madduru at the latter.

She also works on call at Canowindra Hospital.

"She was supposed to be back this week," said Dr Kaipu.

"She is stuck there now."

Dr Kaipu said that when Dr Madduru heard flights back to Australia were to be cancelled following the spread of the virus in India, she paid for a first class ticket so as to be able to get on an earlier flight.

However she was turned away from Chennai Airport after being told she was unable to continue.

"They sent her back saying, 'No flights to Australia'."

The next available flight is on June 16, but Dr Kaipu said "we don't know if that will happen at the moment".

"She is one of the main doctors in the town ... we are really struggling," said Dr Kaipu, who is covering some of Dr Madduru's shifts in Canowindra, at the expense of patients in Molong.

"It is a trouble for us, and for the town, and I'm sure it is troublesome for her too," he said.

"We don't know when she will come back.

"The patients are in doubt - every patient comes in and asks, 'When is she coming back?'"

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