The third positive case of novel coronavirus was reported in Kerala. “The patient has a travel history from Wuhan in China. The patient has tested positive for novel coronavirus and is in isolation in the hospital. The patient is stable and is being closely monitored,” said a health ministry statement.
Meanwhile, Indians have been asked to refrain from travel to China and, in case of travel, they could be quarantined on return from the country. “Anyone with travel history in China since 15 January 2020 and from now on could be quarantined,” noted a statement issued by the ministry. India has temporarily suspended e-visa facility for Chinese and foreigners residing in China.
The first two coronavirus cases were also reported from Kerala. In the first case, a woman medical student is undergoing treatment in Thrissur. In the second case, a male medical student of a university in Wuhan admitted to Alappuzha medical college hospital testing positive for the virus. Kerala health minister K K Shailaja said that there was no need for panic as the condition of both patients was stable.
All those coming from China under surveillance
All those coming from China are under health department surveillance. “The only request to people is that if anyone who has come from China recently has not reported to the nearby health centre so far, they should immediately do so,” Shailaja said. The Union health ministry and the India Council of Medical Research have permitted the Kerala unit of National Institute of Virology in Alappuzha to conduct tests for coronavirus. “Though we have facilities, we were not supposed to conduct the tests. There was a delay in getting test results from Pune NIV,” Shailaja said.
Wuhan in China is the ground zero of the virus outbreak which had infected over 14,500 people and led to 361 deaths till Monday. Despite strong measures to contain the outbreak, including the Chinese government locking down Wuhan and adjoining cities in Hubei province, the virus continues to spread rapidly. Apart from China, the virus has been detected in at least 21 countries, including India. Amid mounting fear of a wider spread, the Union health ministry has asked hospitals across all states and Union territories to prepare isolation wards.
654 Indians airlifted from Wuhan
As the coronavirus epidemic gathered intensity with over 361 recorded deaths in China alone, India on Sunday suspended e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners travelling from China.
“Due to certain developments, travel to India on e-visas stands temporarily suspended with immediate effect,” the Indian Embassy in Beijing tweeted. “This applies to holders of Chinese passports and applicants of other nationalities residing in the People’s Republic of China. Holders of already issued e-visas may note that these are no longer valid,” it added. While India has not yet suspended flights as the US has done, the Indian embassy in Beijing has left a window open for emergency/important travellers from China to India. “All those who have a compelling reason to visit India may contact the embassy of India in Beijing or the Indian consulates in Shanghai or Guangzhou, as well as the Indian visa application centres in these cities,“ the statement said. An additional concern emerged on Sunday when the Chinese government said it was tackling a bird flu outbreak in Hunan province, which is adjacent to Hubei province, the scene of the coronavirus outbreak. India have so far evacuated 654 people from Wuhan on Saturday and Sunday as well as seven Maldevians.
Air India’s special flight evacuated 324 Indians on Saturday morning. “Six Indians were not allowed to board the flight by Chinese authorities, as they were running fever. In all, 211 students, 110 people working in the region and three minors boarded the B747 “Ajanta” which took off from Wuhan and reached Delhi at 7.26am,” said an AI official.
While everyone tested negative in the initial screening, high alert and precaution have been advised. For the next two weeks, all returnees who were taken to two isolation facilities will undergo tests twice a day, where their pulse, temperature and other parameters will be monitored. Meanwhile, RML Hospital admitted two more with coronavirus symptoms, taking the suspected cases there to eight.
The Wuhan passengers and their baggage were dropped at a remote bay where special immigration camps were set up, so that the returnees do not pass through the terminal. ITBP buses took them to the two quarantine centres at Manesar (managed by Armed Forces Medical Services) and Chhawla camp (managed by ITBP).
