Update on Novel Coronavirus – 12,828 passengers from 60 flights screened

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : As on January 22, 2020, altogether 12,828 passengers from 60 flights have been screened for Novel Coronavirus (NCoV) symptoms, and no passenger carrying it has been detected in India so far.

The Secretary (Health) is regularly reviewing the evolving scenario and the preparedness status. He  has also written to the States/UTs to review their preparedness, identify gaps, and strengthen core capacities in the area of surveillance, laboratory support infection prevention & control, logistics, risk communication and in particular, hospital preparedness in terms of isolation and ventilator management of critically ill patients of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).

Thermal screening is being done at the International airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Cochin. MoCA has asked airlines to follow International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines for managing and notifying anybody reporting illness on flights originating from China and disembarking in India. MoCA has instructed for in-flight announcements for India bound flights. A travel advisory was issued on January 17, 2020, and put up on Ministry’s website and also on the Twitter handle for wider circulation, according to a PIB release.

The situation is being closely monitored by the top officials of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in close coordination with other Ministries & Departments and States/UTs concerned. National Institute of Virology, Pune, is fully geared up to test samples of NCoV. Ten other laboratories under Indian Council of Medical Research’s Viral Research and Diagnostics Laboratories network are also equipped to test such samples, if  need arises. Adequate stock of Personal Protection Equipment is being maintained by Medical Stores Organisation.