PMO monitoring virus situation

The Union health secy said as many as 1,39,539 passengers from 1,275 flights have been screened for a possible exposure to the virus so far at 21 identified airports

New Delhi, Jan. 7: The government on Friday directed all 12 major ports to immediately put in place screening, detection and quarantine system for disembarking seafarers and cruise passengers to prevent the novel coronavirus even as officials said the situation was under control in the country and was being regularly monitored, including by the Prime Minister’s Office.

A detailed statement regarding the situation and measures taken to check the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus was made by Union health minister Harsh Vardhan in Rajya Sabha.

As the coronavirus continued to spread at an alarming pace in China with official death toll of 637 and confirmed cases of the infection over 31,000, India stepped up its efforts to detect and check the virus, which originated in Chinese city of Wuhan.

All the 12 major ports in the country were directed by the shipping ministry to “place a screening, detection and quarantine system immediately for disembarking Seafarers or Cruise Passengers”, an official release said.

These ports were also instructed to procure N-95 masks as well as thermal scanners to screen passengers, besides obtaining selfdeclaration from arriving crews/passengers, it said.

In a detailed update, Union health secretary Preeti Sudan in a statement said as many as 1,39,539 passengers from 1,275 flights have been screened for a possible exposure to the virus so far at the 21 identified airports.