Coronavirus Reaches India, 11 People in 4 Different Cities under Watch

Eleven people from four different cities of India have been kept under observation after their return from China, as they have shown mild symptoms of the new coronavirus, that has killed 41 people in China and has infected more than 1,300 and is spreading across several Asian countries as well as Europe and the US.

Out of eleven, seven people are from Kerala, two from Mumbai and one each from Bengaluru and Hyderabad have been kept in isolation in the respective states.

The Union Health Ministry also has confirmed that of the 11 people, two at a Mumbai hospital and one person each in Hyderabad and Bengaluru have been tested negative.

Dr Amar Fettle, Kerala’s officer-in-charge for communication on coronavirus has said, “Seven people (in Kerala) who have extremely mild symptoms were kept under observation in isolation wards on Friday, primarily as a precautionary measure, since they returned from China”.

More than 20,000 travelers who are returning to India from China and Hong Kong have undergone thermal screenings at the respective airports.

In Kerala, a total of about 80 people were kept under strict surveillance of which 73 has showed no symptoms. But seven of them showed mild symptoms of cough and fever. An official said, “One of these seven showed no symptoms, but was largely very anxious, so we have admitted that passenger and are giving counseling”. Samples of two people who are kept under observation have been sent for tests.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has already set up an isolation ward and special beds have been kept ready for providing treatment to any suspected case of the respiratory congestion.

Dr Fettle said, “At the airports, if passengers returning from China show no symptoms, their names are taken and forwarded to district medical officials. They are advised voluntary self-isolation at their homes for a few weeks and are being tracked for their health updates”.

The government of Kerala has also set up a helpline number 0471-2552056 for people to guide them with precautionary measures to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The epidemic in the form of Coronavirus has already started to spread out of the boundaries of China. Cases of Coronavirus were first reported from Wuhan, which is the capital of central China’s Hubei province. Now along with Wuhan, 13 other cities in the province have been locked down in an effort to contain the deadly virus within this territory.

The virus, which was unknown till recently, has caused global concern because of its similarity with the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which has killed hundreds of people across China and Hong Kong between 2002-2003.