17 people from Delhi who returned from abroad before Coronavirus screening showed symptoms

Seventeen people, out of a large number of passengers who h arrived in Delhi from China and or coronavirus-affected countries before screening at airport began around mid-January, have been found symptomatic for infection and hospitalised, officials said.

Delhi health department officials have traced many of such passengers. According to data shared by Delhi health department, till February 13, over 5,700 such passengers were approached after being informed by Delhi airport authorities.

"As many as 4,707 passengers were found asymptomatic and vised for home isolation (self-quarantined). Seventeen patients were found symptomatic and hospitalised," a senior official of Delhi health department said.

number of passengers, who remain untraced stands at 817, official said, quoting data collated by health department.

number of passengers pending surveillance stands at 68, according to data.

Passengers arriving from China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore are being screened for possible exposure to respiratory virus at 21 identified airports in country, including Delhi airport, from January 17.

In Delhi, of 4,705 passengers found asymptomatic, a maximum of 1,249 of those were residents of West Delhi district, while 1,073 people lived in Central Delhi.

Delhi government has alrey set up a centralised control room at DGHS (HQ) and such centres also in 11 districts.

"Anyone, who gets flu-like symptoms should immediately contact nearest control room," official said.

"Efforts are on to trace passengers from Delhi who travelled on or after January 15 to China and or countries, and returned to Delhi before airport screening process began," he said.

death toll in China's vel coronavirus epidemic has climbed to 1,523 with 143 new fatalities reported mostly from worst-affected Hubei province while confirmed cases jumped to over 66,000, health officials said on Saturday.

India has so far reported three confirmed cases of virus, all in Kerala.

One of three medical students, who h tested positive for vel coronavirus infection and were treated at a hospital in Kerala, has been discharged after recovery, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan h said on Thursday.

About or two, he said subsequent tests indicated significant reduction in "viral lo".

health ministry has asked people to refrain from travelling to China in view of coronavirus outbreak and said travellers on return could be quarantined. 

Im Credits: ANI