In measures for cluster management of coronavirus, the government is asking states to identify sites for quarantine facilities and isolation wards including facilities of the armed forces, paramilitary forces, medical colleges and public sector companies within their jurisdiction.
This was decided at a meeting held by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba through video conference with secretaries of ministries concerned, and state chief secretaries and health secretaries to review and assess action taken for containment of Covid-19.
The meeting comes as the first coronavirus case was detected in Delhi and several cases are being reported on a single patient’s trial from Delhi to Agra.
The guidelines on cluster management of Covid-19 were communicated to the states two days ago. The operationalisation of the guidelines was emphasised upon and the chief secretaries were requested to review it.
The states have been asked to hold co-ordination meetings with the related ministries and arrive at a plan on possible quarantine facilities in the states.
Air India yesterday confirmed that a passenger who flew on a Vienna-Delhi flight on February 25 has tested positive for the virus. There were 108 passengers and 10 crew on board.
The government has tightened entry conditions for nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan with immediate effect. As per the revised travel advisory issued yesterday by the Health Ministry, new travellers from these countries will have to apply for new visas.
The passengers of all international flights arriving in India from any port are required to furnish self-declaration forms and travel history to health officials and immigration officials.
Passengers - foreign and Indian - other than those restricted, arriving directly or indirectly from China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan must undergo medical screening at the port of entry.
Meanwhile, of 88 people who came in contact with a man who tested tested positive for the virus, 45 were admitted to government-run Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender said yesterday.
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh confirmed six positive cases of coronavirus in the state and said all of them have been shifted to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.
“A family went on a trip to Europe and after returning to India, they showed symptoms of Covid-19. Soon after, the samples of 13 members of the family were taken. Out of them, six have been found positive,” the minister said.
The Shriram Millennium School in Noida has advised students and parents not to panic after a student’s parent tested positive.
In a statement, the school said: “There is no cause for panic as the student’s family and the other children who were in contact with the patient are asymptomatic and have no symptoms of the disease. These children have also been tested and as a precautionary measure have been quarantined for the next two weeks.”
The school said it will remain closed until March 6.
The school campus as well as school buses are being fumigated and sanitised thoroughly. The school has requested parents on some bus routes to take additional precautions and seek immediate medical attention if any child reports symptoms of cough/cold or fever.
In a related development, the Delhi High Court sought the central government’s response over a plea seeking evacuation of Indian students in Iran.
The petition was filed by parents of the students through social justice lawyer Fozia Rahman.
The plea stated that though the students have not been affected there was still a threat due to the virus and hence, they should return immediately.
Also seeking to ensure safety of the students, the petitioner sought adequate travel arrangements for them through planes, ships, cruise ships or any other appropriate and feasible mode of transport. It also sought appropriate directions to provide humanitarian assistance to the students in Iran.