Kerala Declares Coronavirus a ‘State Disaster’ as 3 Test Positive
Air India second special flight carrying 323 Indians from Wuhan landed in Delhi on Sunday, 2 February.
Air India second special flight carrying 323 Indians from Wuhan landed in Delhi on Sunday, 2 February.(Photo Courtesy: Air India)
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Kerala Declares Coronavirus a ‘State Disaster’ as 3 Test Positive

The Kerala government on Monday, 3 February, declared coronavirus a ‘state disaster’ after the third person tested positive for the virus in Kasargod.

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Monday issued a travel advisory informing the public to refrain from travelling to China.

The death toll in the coronavirus epidemic, the epicentre of which is China, soared to 425 with 57 deaths on Sunday alone while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 17,205, Chinese health officials announced on Monday.

Snapshotclose

  • India has detected three confirmed cases of coronavirus in Kerala
  • Over 650 Indians have been evacuvated from Wuhan
  • The Indian Army has set up a quarantine facility in Haryana’s Manesar for the students brought back
  • The virus is novel, meaning it has never been encountered before in humans
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Man with Virus Symptoms Admitted to Karnataka Hospital

A man, who returned from China on Saturday, 18 January, was admitted to Karnataka Institute of Medical Science Hospital in Hubli on 3 February after he complained of fever, cough, weakness, headache, reports ANI.

"He's under observation&is stable. We sent his sample to Pune, "said the director of the hospital.

China Virus Death Toll Rise to 425

The number of confirmed deaths from China's coronavirus outbreak spiked to 425, after authorities in Hubei province reported 64 new fatalities Tuesday, 4 February.

In its daily update, figures from the health commission in Hubei, which has been hit hardest by the virus, also showed a sharp increase in confirmed infections with 2,345 new cases.

KEY EVENT

WHO Team to Investigate Outbreak in China

A WHO-led international team of experts could go to China as early as this week to investigate the coronavirus outbreak, as agreed between WHO (World Health Organisation) chief & Chinese President Xi Jinping, and could include US experts, a WHO spokesman said on Monday, 3 February, reports ANI.

Blood Samples of Suspected Coronavirus Patients Sent for Testing in Jaipur

Blood samples of four suspected coronavirus patients were sent to Jaipur's SMS Medical College for testing on Monday, 3 February.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said six people, one each from Jaipur, Sikar and Ajmer, and three from Jhalawar had approached the Health Department for screening.

Four of them showed symptoms of coronavirus, he said, adding that they had been admitted to hospitals. The officer further said the Heath Department had screened 4,495 passengers at the Jaipur airport for coronavirus so far.

The microbiology department lab at the SMS Medical College has so far tested six samples, all of them negative for the coronavirus infection.

KEY EVENT

China Leadership Admits 'Shortcomings' in Virus Response

China's top leadership on Monday admitted "shortcomings and difficulties" in its response to the coronavirus outbreak and the government said it "urgently" needed medical supplies to battle the outbreak which has killed more than 360 people, AFP reported.

The comments came as 57 new deaths were confirmed Monday, the single-biggest daily increase since the virus was detected late last year in the central city of Wuhan, where it is believed to have jumped from animals at a market into humans.

Another Suspected Case of Coronavirus Reported in Uttarakhand

A China-returned student was on Monday admitted to AIIMS, Rishikesh for showing symptoms of coronavirus infection.

The 24-year-old woman was doing internship from the University of Traditional Medicine, Nonchang state in China, hospital PRO Harish Thapliyal said.

She was kept at the isolation ward of the hospital after she complained of a sore throat, dry cough and headache, he said.  Her blood samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, the official said.

KEY EVENT

Kerala CM Declares Coronavirus as a State Disaster

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has declared Coronavirus as a state disaster, according to ANI.

Three people have been tested positive for the deadly virus in the state so far.

KEY EVENT

China Opens 1,000-Bed Hospital, Begins Trials for New Drug

China on Monday opened a 1,000-bed hospital built in record nine days in Wuhan city, the epicentre of the coronavirus, and started clinical trials for a drug to treat the virulent virus, AFP reported.

A noted Chinese health expert Zhong Nanshan said that based on the fresh evidence, the novel coronavirus which is spreading rapidly in China and the world may reach its peak in the next 10 to 14 days, contrary to earlier estimates of climaxing sooner.

This means that the cases would drastically increase in the next two weeks before slowing down.

KEY EVENT

Union Health Ministry Issues Travel Advisory for China

Union Health Ministry on Monday, 3 February, issued a travel advisory informing the public to refrain from travelling to China, ANI reported.

The advisory added that anyone with a history of travel to China since 15 January could be quarantined.

Further, the advisory said that e-Visa facility for Chinese passport holders has been temporarily suspended, e-Visa already issued to Chinese nationals is also temporarily invalid and the facility for submitting the application online for the physical visa from China is suspended.

Situation Regarding Coronavirus Outbreak in India Reviewed

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr PK Mishra on Monday reviewed the situation regarding coronavirus in the country and the arrangements for the approximately 600 evacuees, according to ANI.

NSA Ajit Doval, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, CDS Gen Bipin Rawat and others attended the meeting.

Australia's Coronavirus Evacuees Head for Island Quarantine

A flight carrying evacuees from the epicentre of the deadly China virus outbreak landed in Australia late on Monday ahead of a 14-day quarantine at a notorious offshore immigration detention centre, AFP reported.

The Qantas charter flight carrying 243 passengers, including 89 children, touched down at an Air Force base near the remote Western Australian town of Exmouth.

Hong Kong Shuts Most China Crossings Over Virus as Medics Strike

Hong Kong announced it is closing all but two land crossings with the Chinese mainland on Monday to slow the spread of a deadly new coronavirus as medics staged strikes calling for the border to be completely sealed, AFP reported.

The semi-autonomous financial centre has 15 confirmed cases of the disease, most brought from the mainland where the epidemic began and has thus far killed more than 360 people.

On Monday afternoon, city leader Carrie Lam said all land crossings would be closed at midnight except for two bridges, the first connecting Hong Kong to Shenzhen and the second linking it with Zhuhai and casino hub Macau.

180 Nepalis in China Demand Early Evacuation as Coronavirus Death Toll Rises

A total of 180 Nepalis, mostly students, living in China have approached the country's embassy in Beijing, demanding their immediate evacuation as they fear contracting the novel coronavirus that has claimed over 360 lives and infected thousands of people.

“A total of 180 Nepali nationals, mostly students, currently living in 17 cities in China, including Wuhan of Hubei, have registered their names with the embassy, expressing their desire to return home," Sushil Kumar Lamsal, deputy chief of mission at the Nepali Embassy in Beijing, was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post.

China-Returned Medical Student Admitted in Odisha, Coronavirus Suspected

In the second suspected case of coronavirus in Odisha, a woman pursuing medical studies in China has been admitted in a government hospital in Cuttack, PTI reported.

The woman was admitted at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, on Sunday with fever, a symptom associated with novel coronavirus, officials said.

Along with her husband, she had come to Odisha from Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak on 19 January to attend a marriage function.

She was lodged in a separate ward of the hospital, an official said, adding her condition is stable.

Stranded Pakistanis Start Arriving Home from Coronavirus-Hit China

Some of the Pakistani nationals stranded in coronavirus-hit China started arriving home as Islamabad on Monday, 3 February, allowed two Chinese flights to land there, a day after it received special medical kits from Beijing to detect the deadly virus cases, PTI reported.

Pakistan suspended flights from China from 31 January till 2 February, a day after the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak of the virus as a global health emergency.

One of the flights, CZ6007, carried 69 passengers, including 57 Pakistanis and 12 Chinese.

KEY EVENT

Third Person Tests Positive in Kerala’s Kasargod

A third person has tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala’s Kasargod, said state Health Minister KK Shailaja, on Monday, 3 February. She added that the person is stable and had recently returned from Wuhan.

KEY EVENT

Coronavirus: 361 Dead in China, Cases Soars to Over 17,200

The death toll in China's coronavirus epidemic soared to 361 with 57 deaths on Sunday alone while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 17,205, Chinese health officials announced on Monday.

China's National Health Commission in its daily report on Monday said that 2,829 new cases of coronavirus were reported nationwide on 2 February, taking the total number of infection to 17,205.

Among Sunday's deaths, 56 were reported from Hubei Province, the epicentre of the virus outbreak, and one from southwest China's Chongqing, the commission said.

Total 5,173 new suspected cases were reported on Sunday, 2 February, it said.

The overall confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland reached 17,205 by the end of Sunday.

China Virus Toll Rises to 360 With 56 New Fatalities: Govt

The number of confirmed deaths from China's coronavirus outbreak rose to 360, exceeding the country's death toll from the 2002-03 SARS outbreak, after authorities in Hubei province reported 56 new fatalities on Monday, 3 February, reports AFP.

In its daily update, figures from the health commission in Hubei, which has been hit hardest by the virus, also showed a sharp increase in confirmed infections with 2,103 new cases.

Tamil Nadu Gets Testing Facility for Coronavirus

A testing facility for the detection of novel coronavirus was unveiled at a premier state-run institute here on Sunday as over 800 people are under observation in homes and hospitals in Tamil Nadu, reports PTI.

The testing facility was inaugurated at the King Institute of Preventive Medicine by state Health Minister C Vijayabaskar who said five blood samples have been received at the institute from the health authorities.

Besides, four specimens had already been dispatched to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for diagnosis, he said, adding the results will be available in 48 hours after the receipt of samples.

"All of them (whose blood specimen have been collected) are clinically normal (does not exhibit symptom presently)," he said.

8 Passengers Who Travelled With Coronavirus-Affected Kerala Student Identified: WB Govt

The West Bengal Health Department on Sunday, 2 February traced eight passengers who had travelled in the same flight as that of the coronavirus-affected Kerala resident and landed at the airport here on 23 January, a senior official said, reports PTI.

“While two passengers, who had landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on 23 January, were identified as residents of Asansol and Odisha, details of the other six were also traced on Sunday,” said Ajay Kumar Chakraborty, WB Director of Health Services said.

“Three passengers of that flight, who were sitting either in the front or the back four seats of the coronavirus affected-Kerala man, were identified as Chinese nationals,” he said.

"All the eight persons have been identified. The three Chinese have returned to their country and the Delhi resident has also gone back home," Chakraborty told PTI.

We Take Care of Our People: Jaishankar on Evacuations from China

Speaking at the Tamils Association Programme in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar appreciated the government's efforts at evacuating more than 600 Indian from coronavirus-hit Wuhan in China, reports ANI. He said, "I can say with great pride that under this government, we have developed a system by which any Indian in trouble, anywhere in the world, we look after them. We are there for them. People today go out with confidence that if something will happen, their government will be there to back them."

Surveillance System Along Bangladesh Border in West Bengal

The West Bengal health department, in the wake of the growing coronavirus threat, has put in place a surveillance mechanism in Hili, Petrapole and Gede areas along the India-Bangladesh border, a senior official said.

People entering the country from Bangladesh would be screened at these important checkpoints, as some among them might have visited China in the recent past, he said.

"We need to keep an eye on those entering India through these borders. Among them, there could be some who have recently travelled to China. We must conduct a medical test on them, before allowing them entry,” the official said, reports PTI.

300 People Evacuated from China Being Looked After by Expert Team of ITBP Doctors

A total of 300 people including 200 males, and 100 females including children reached this morning to Chhawla facility of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) from China. They are looked after by the expert team of ITBP Doctors.

Today’s arrivals also include 7 persons from Maldives. 1 Female from Bangladesh married to Indian is also in the group. There are total 7 families in the group.   

With this, the total number of quarantine persons at ITBP Chhawla is 404 out of total 656 people reached New Delhi since Saturday. 1 February.

Periodical checkups being done as per medical protocol. All tests are negative till now. Food, bed and other basic requirements are catered. Sufficient amount of medicines are also kept at the centre.

4 isolation beds are also kept ready in case of any situation arises.

Tweet Shows Pakistani Student in Wuhan Watching Indian Counterparts Being Evacuated

A video shared on Twitter shows a Pakistani students watching Indian students being evacuated from coronavirus-hit Wuhan district in China. Pakistan has said that they will not evacuate Pakistani students in Wuhan, leading to cries for help from students stuck in the district.

#NeighbourhoodFirst, Tweets EAM Jaishankar After India Evacuates 7 Maldivians

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in a tweet on Sunday, "7 Maldivians brought back with 323 Indians from Wuhan on the second @airindiain flight today. #NeighbourhoodFirst at work again."

India Suspends e-Visa Facility For Chinese, Foreigners Residing in China

India on Sunday, 2 February temporarily suspended e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners residing in China in view of the virulent coronavirus that has killed more than 300 people, infected 14,562 others and spread to 25 countries, including India, the US and the UK.

“Due to certain current developments, travel to India on e-visas stands temporarily suspended with immediate effect," the Indian Embassy announced.

“This applies to holders of Chinese passports and applicants of other nationalities residing in the People's Republic of China. Holders of already issued e-visas may note that these are no longer valid," the announcement said.

“All those who have a compelling reason to visit India may contact the Embassy of India in Beijing or the Indian consulates in Shanghai or Guangzhou, as well as the Indian Visa Application Centres in these cities," it said.

Kerala Health Minister Issues Advisory After Second Confirmed Coronavirus Case

After a second confirmed case of Coronavirus was reported in Kerala, state Health Minister insisted that those in home quarantine should not go out without informing the health department. “Though 14 days is the incubation period, to ensure more safety, we have asked people to be in quarantine for 28 days.”

“If any functions like weddings are fixed in the families of such persons, such programs should be postponed without any excuse. There is no great loss in postponing a wedding, but hundreds of people come for functions like this. We are a densely populated state and if the disease spreads, it will become tough for us,” she said.

Maldives President Thanks PM Modi For Evacuating 7 Maldivians From Coronavirus-Hit Wuhan

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih thanked PM Narendra Modi and EAM S Jaishankar “for expeditiously evacuating the 7 Maldivians residing in Wuhan, China. This gesture is a fine example of the outstanding friendship and camaraderie between our two countries.”

Maldives nationals who arrived in Delhi by the second Air India special flight from Wuhan, China, today.
Maldives nationals who arrived in Delhi by the second Air India special flight from Wuhan, China, today.
(Photo: ANI)

Coronavirus Outbreak: 2nd Air India Flight With 323 Citizens Lands in Delhi

Air India 2nd special flight from China's Wuhan lands at Delhi airport with 323 Indian nationals, reports PTI.

(Photo Courtesy: Air India)
(Photo Courtesy: Air India)
(Photo Courtesy: Air India)

Philippines Reports First Virus Death Outside China: WHO

The Philippines has reported the first death outside China from the coronavirus that has killed over 300 and spread to other countries, the World Health Organization said Sunday, 2 Feb.

India's Second Coronavirus Case Reported in Kerala

India’s second confirmed case of coronavirus has been detected in Kerala. The patient, with a travel history to China, has been kept in isolation in the hospital; is stable and is being closely monitored, reported ANI.

Maldives Foreign Minister Thanks PM Modi, EAM Jaishankar For Airlifting 7 Malidivians From Wuhan

Foreign Minister of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid thanked Indian PM Narendra Modi and EAM S Jaishankar for airlifting 7 Maldivians from virus-hit Wuhan. He said, “Seven Maldivians in Wuhan are on their way to Delhi on special Air India flight. Upon arrival, they'll be housed in Delhi for a period of quarantine. Deep gratitude to PM Narendra Modi and EAM Dr. Jaishankar.”

India Airlifts 323 More Citizens, 7 Maldivians From China's Virus-Hit Wuhan

India on Sunday, 2 February, airlifted a second batch of 323 stranded Indians and seven Maldivian citizens from China's coronavirus-hit Wuhan city, taking the total number of people evacuated to 654, officials said.

Air India's jumbo B747 made two flights to Wuhan city - the ground zero of the coronavirus epidemic that has killed 304 people and infected 14,380 others.

"The 2nd #AirIndia flight from #Wuhan has just taken off for #Delhi with 323 Indian citizens on board. 7 Maldives citizens are also being evacuated. Grateful once again to @MFA_China and local authorities all across #Hubei for their assistance," Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri tweeted.

"Want to thank my team at @EOIBeijing which mounted a non-stop almost 96-hour long operation to coordinate a complex airlift under challenging circumstances for us, the passengers and local authorities in #Hubei and #Wuhan," he said in another tweet.

Doctors of ITBP Monitoring 104 Indians Citizens Who Returned from China's Wuhan

A total of 104 Indians including 87 females, 10 males and 7 children reached India on Saturday, 1 February, to Chhawla facility of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and are being looked after by the expert team of Doctors.

“Periodical checkups being done as per medical protocol. All tests are negative till now. Food, bed and other basic requirements are catered. Sufficient amount of medicines are also kept at the centre,” ITBP said in a statement.

Four isolation beds have also been kept ready in case any such situation arises, it added.

Three Arrested in Kerala for Spreading False Information on Coronavirus

Three people have been arrested in Kerala for spreading false information in the social media on the novel Coronavirus, Health minister KK Shailaja said on Saturday, 1 February.

They had put out false news about those who had travelled from coronavirus affected countries and are under home surveillance, she told the reporters.

Six Indians in China Stopped from Boarding Special Flight to India Due to High Fever

Six Indians stranded at the coronavirus-hit Wuhan city were stopped from boarding the first special Air India flight to India due to high fever, officials said on Saturday, 1 February, PTI reported.

The first flight left early Saturday with 324 stranded Indians mostly students from Wuhan.

The six students may have to undergo tests to determine whether they have symptoms of the coronavirus.

Ahead of the evacuation, the Indian Embassy had informed the Indians that they will be tested before the flight and undergo 14 day quarantine after reaching India.

Indigo to Suspend Flights on Kolkata-Guangzhou Route

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, private airline IndiGo on Saturday, 1 February, said that it will suspend flights on Kolkata-Guangzhou route from 6 to 25 February.

“We understand that these measures will cause inconvenience to our customers and we will be refunding the full amount to the impacted passengers,” Indigo said.

UK Government Pulls Staff, Families From China as Virus Spreads

Britain on Saturday, 1 February, said it was temporarily withdrawing some staff and their families from its diplomatic sites in China, as Beijing struggles to contain the nationwide new coronavirus epidemic, AFP reported.

The decision, which follows a similar move by the United States this week, came as the death toll from the outbreak soared to 259 and the total number of cases neared 12,000 within China.

The SARS-like virus has also begun to spread around the world, with more than 100 infections reported in more than 20 countries.

Government Holds Video Conference to Review Process of Screening Passengers

On Saturday, Health Secretary and Family Welfare Department had a video conference to review process of screening passengers from different countries, ANI reported.

Apart from passengers from China and Hong Kong, passengers coming on flights from Singapore and Thailand shall also be universally screened.

Air India's Second Special Flight Departs for Wuhan

Air India's second special flight departs for Wuhan from Delhi airport to evacuate Indians.

Sri Lankan Students Evacuated From Wuhan to Remain Under Quarantine

At least 33 Sri Lankan students, who were evacuated on Saturday from the coronavirus-hit Wuhan, will remain under quarantine for two weeks, health officials said.

The death toll from coronavirus outbreak in China rose to 259 on Saturday with total confirmed cases surging to 11,791 amid stepped up efforts by a number of countries to evacuate their nationals from Hubei province, the epicentre of the virus.

Evacuated Indians Taken To ITBP Camp For Medical Observation

A total of 104 of the 324 Indians, who arrived in Air India special flight from Wuhan in China at Delhi Airport on Saturday, have been taken from the airport to Indo-Tibetan Border Police camp for medical observation.

2 More Suspected Cases of Coronavirus Admitted to Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital

2 more people suspected of coronavirus have been admitted to Delhi's Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, reported ANI.

Total 8 suspected cases of coronavirus are admitted at the hospital. The samples of the two people have been sent for testing.

Another Flight to Evacuate Indians from Wuhan To Leave From Delhi at 12:50 PM

India has begun preparations to airlift the remaining Indians from China, hours after evacuating 324 Indian nationals from the coronavirus-hit Wuhan city as the death toll from the deadly disease rose to 259 in the country, reported PTI.

A special Air India plane carrying 211 students, 110 working professionals and three minors from Wuhan reached Delhi around 7.30 am.

“We look forward to operating another flight to evacuate remaining Indian nationals, who have consented to leave Hubei Province for the time being,” the Indian Embassy said in a tweet on Saturday, 1 February.

Air India Special Flight With 324 Indians Lands in Delhi

Air India special flight carrying 324 Indians that took off from Wuhan (China) lands in Delhi.

China Coronavirus: Death Toll Rises to 259, Infections Surge 12000

The death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak in China has risen to 259 with total confirmed cases surging to 11,791 amid stepped up efforts by a number of countries to evacuate their nationals from Hubei province, the epicentre of the virus, officials said on Saturday, 1 February, according to PTI.

Chinese health authorities have announced that the death toll has risen to 259 with total confirmed cases increasing to 11,791, the biggest increase since China began reporting the spread of the virulent virus on 21 January.

KEY EVENT

China Virus Death Toll Rises to 258 With 45 New Fatalities

The number of confirmed deaths from China's coronavirus outbreak has risen to 258, as authorities in hardest-hit Hubei province on Saturday, 1 February, reported 45 new fatalities, according to AFP.

In its daily update, the provincial health commission also said newly confirmed cases of infection in Hubei continued to grow at a steady pace, with 1,347.

Trump Bans Foreign Nationals Who Traveled to China From Entering the US

Foreign nationals who travelled to China in the past two weeks have been banned entry to United States, reports AFP news agency.

Air India Flight With 324 Indians Takes off From Wuhan for Delhi

The special Air India flight took off from the Wuhan airport in the early hours of Saturday for Delhi, evacuating 324 Indian nationals from China as the neighbouring country continued to deal with the outbreak of novel coronavirus, officials said.

“With 324 passengers, special flight has taken off for India from Wuhan. It may reach Delhi at 7:30 am," PTI quoted Air India spokesperson as saying.

There are five doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and one paramedical staff on board, said the Air India spokesperson.

First Batch of Indian Passengers Board Special Air India Flight from Wuhan

First batch of Indian passengers board the special Air India flight from Wuhan in China.

Nine Under-Observation Patients Test Negative for Coronavirus in Maharashtra

Samples of nine out of the 12 people kept under observation in government-run hospitals in Maharashtra for possible exposure to coronavirus have tested negative, a senior health department official said on Friday.

State authorities also said that 26 of the Indian nationals which are being evacuated from Wuhan in China are from Maharashtra.

So far the state has not reported any confirmed case of coronavirus infection.

Kerala Govt Instructs Procedure to All Private Hospitals in Wake of Positive Case

The Kerala state government, on Friday, gave directions to all private hospitals in the state regarding the arrangements to be made in the wake of a positive case of Coronavirus.

Elaborate instructions were given on the need for following the treatment protocol, of relaying information to the control rooms, how to isolate patients who develop symptoms and so on and so forth. Procedure is applicable for all districts, not solely Thrissur.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) will be conducting training for Health Department staff.

Air India Special Flight to Wuhan for Evacuating Indians Landed

The Air India special flight, which departed on Friday from Delhi for Wuhan (China) for the evacuation of Indians has landed.

Air India’s Boeing 747 aircraft departed from Delhi at 12:30 pm to evacuate Indian nationals from China, officials told news agency PTI.

Five doctors from Health Ministry will be on board the aircraft, Air India CMD said. The government has reached out to over 600 Indians living in China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, to ascertain their willingness to be brought back to India.

All Ports on Vigil to Prevent Coronovirus Spread: Shipping Ministry

All Indian shipping ports have been asked to scan the people disembarking from ships to prevent spreading of the deadly coronavirus through sea route, a senior official said on Friday, reported PTI.

“India has already issued advisories and put processes in place on coronavirus. The situation is monitored closely at the top level,” said Satinder Pal Singh, joint secretary in the Shipping Ministry.

“In the wake of spread of the virus, the government has asked all ports to scan everyone who disembarks from ships,” he said.

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