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More novel coronavirus cases reported in China, India adopts measures to stop spread

A strain of coronavirus labelled as 2019-nCoV, it has led to an outbreak of viral pneumonia in China.

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The Centre has taken various measures to as a precaution after the outbreak of novel coronavirus in China that has taken at least three lives and over 200 cases have been reported. 

According to a BBC report on Monday, the number of cases in China has now crossed 200 with most of them being reported in Wuhan.

A strain of coronavirus labelled as 2019-nCoV, it has led to an outbreak of viral pneumonia. On January 12, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said there was no infection among healthcare workers and no clear evidence of human to human transmission with 41 confirmed cases and one death.

In a press release on Monday, the Union Ministry of Health said, the Secretary is constantly reviewing the evolving scenario, developments, and preparedness and response measures being undertaken by the Ministry.

The Ministry of Health has written to Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to facilitate thermal screening at the International airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin for the airlines to follow International Civil Aviation Organization (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.

It has also written to Ministry of External Affairs to provide details of travellers from Wuhan city who have sought a visa to travel to India, since December 31, 2019 and to counsel the applicants while issuing a visa. They have also been requested to provide daily details. As for E-visa issue, Ministry of Home Affairs is being approached, it said. 

The MEA has also been requested to disseminate travel advisory in local languages to Indian Embassies in China and adjoining countries for wider circulation and passenger information.

The secretary 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 illness (SARI).

Last week, the Ministry of Health had issued a travel advisory for Indian citizens who are visiting China. 

Port and airport health organisations have also been sensitised and thermal screening has been initiated at the international airports of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata and will be initiated today at Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin airports, the ministry said. 

The hospitals attached to these airports have been reviewed for the provision of isolation and critical care facilities. Immigration officers manning the counters have been sensitized at these airports, it said. 

National Institute of Virology, Pune is fully geared up to test samples of nCoV, the ministry further said.

Ten other laboratories under Indian Council of Medical Research’s Viral Research and Diagnostics Laboratories network are also equipped to test such samples, if a need arises, it added. 

In an update on January 19, WHO said there is some limited human-to-human transmission occurring between close contacts but this animal source seems to be the most likely primary source of the virus. 

"China has reported to WHO 139 new cases of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, Beijing and Shenzhen over the past two days.

This is the result of increased searching and testing for 2019-nCoV among people sick with respiratory illness," the agency said.

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