Cabinet Secretary holds high level review on Novel Coronavirus

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : High level review meetings on preparedness to tackle Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) are regularly being held by the Union Health Minister, Cabinet Secretary and Health Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary has held four review meetings so far. On January 30, 2020, he reviewed the preparedness with the Ministries of Health & Family Welfare, External Affairs, Defence, Home Affairs, Civil Aviation, Information & Broadcasting, Labour & Employment, and Shipping. A Video Conference with the Chief Secretaries of the States and UTs was also taken by the Cabinet Secretary.

Following January 30, 2020, meeting of the Cabinet Secretary, a number of new steps have been taken. They are : All those who have come from China after January 15, 2020, shall be tested as there in an incubation period for the virus : The Cabinet Secretary has stressed on the need for 14 days’ home isolation for all those who have returned from China: It is also advised that trip to china should be avoided: It was also decided to augment the lab facilities: Six more labs became  functional from January 30 : (1) NIV Bengaluru Unit, (2) Victoria Hospital Campus, KR Road, Fort, Bengaluru (3), AIIMS, New Delhi (4), NCDC, Delhi (5) Kasturba Hospital for infectious diseases, and Mumbai (8) NIV – Kerala Unit.

Six more labs will become functional  by January 31, 2020: (1) ICMR – NICED, Kolkata (2) GMC, Secunderabad (3) KGMU, Lucknow (4) SMS, Jaipur (5) IGGMC, Nagpur (6) KIPMR, Chennai.

The number of reported confirmed cases abroad are Thailand (14), Singapore (10), Australia (5), USA (5), Japan (8), South Korea (4), Malaysia (7), France (4), Vietnam (2) Canada (2), Nepal (1), Cambodia (1), Sri Lanka (1), Germany (4), UAE (4), Hong Kong (10), Macao (7), Taiwan (8), Finland (1), Angola (1),  and India (1), according to a PIB release.

One positive case of Novel Coronavirus patient, a student studying in  Wuhan university, has been reported in Kerala. The patient has tested positive for Novel Coronavirus and is in isolation at the hospital. The patient is stable and is being closely monitored.

In China, altogether 7,711 confirmed cases of nCoV were reported by 31 province till January 30, 2020, and 170 persons had died due to it there. Most of the deaths reported were in elderlies with co-morbid conditions.