High level Group of Ministers constituted to review management of Novel Coronavirus

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Dr P K Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, on February 3, 2020, reviewed the situation relating to the Novel Coronavirus in the country and the arrangements for the approximately 600 evacuees.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Principal Adviser to the Prime Minister P K Sinha, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, and secretaries of other relevant ministries were also present.

On the directions of Prime Minister, a high level Group of Ministers (GoM) has been constituted comprising of Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Health & Family Welfare MInister, Hardeep S. Puri, Minister of Civil Aviation, Dr. S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister, G  Kishan Reddy, Minister of State for Home,  Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State, Health & Family Welfare and Mansukh Lal Mandaviya, Minister of State (I/c), Shipping, to review, monitor, and evaluate the preparedness regarding management of Novel Coronavirus in the country, according to a PIB release.

The first meeting of GoM was held on February 3 at Nirman Bhawan to review the preparedness and steps taken by the Ministries of Health, Shipping, External Affairs, Civil Aviation and Home Affairs. It was chaired by Dr. Harsh Vardhan.

A presentation of the status of the nCoV-2019 was made before the GoM. The members were also apprised of the three cases reported from Kerala, one of which was confirmed on February 3. The preventive steps and measures taken for management of Novel Coronavirus disease in India were presented, which included information about the revised travel advisories issued on February 2 regarding the temporary suspension of the e-visa facilities.

Travel Advisory has been revised informing the public to refrain from travelling to China and that anyone with travel history in China since January 15, 2020, and from now on could be quarantined. Further, e-Visa facility for Chinese passport holders has been temporarily suspended, e-Visa already issued to Chinese nationals is also not valid temporarily and the facility for submitting the application online for the physical visa from China is suspended.

The GoM was also informed about the two Quarantine Centres having 645 persons evacuated from Wuhan. The camps are being maintained by Armed Forces and ITBP. All inhabitants are medically examined on a daily basis.

In addition, they were also briefed that as of February 3, a total of 593 flights have been screened covering a total of 72,353 passengers. Screening of passengers is ongoing at 21 airports, international seaports, and border crossings particularly with Nepal. Universal screening in all flights from Singapore and Thailand besides Hong Kong and China is being done. Further, 2,815 people are presently under community surveillance in 29 States/UTs. Out of a total of 338 samples sent for testing, 335 have been found to be negative, 3 are positive, while 70 are being processed. The ICMR National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune has been made a nodal centre for coordinating diagnostics for Novel Coronavirus and 12 Regional Labs have been activated, standardized, and are testing the samples.

The GoM was also apprised that adequate materials like Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and N95 masks are available and the situation is being closely monitored in all the States/UTs. The preparedness and actions are being reviewed at the highest level everyday by the Union Health Minister and the Cabinet Secretary, in addition to Secretary (HFW). A 24×7 Control Room is operational (011-23978046).

The meeting was attended by Preeti Sudan, Secretary (HFW), H  Vardhan Shringla, Secretary (Foreign), Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary (Civil Aviation), Sanjeeva Kumar, Spl. Secretary (Health),  Sanjay Bandopadhyay, Addl. Secretary (Shipping) along with other officials from related ministries.