Coronavirus: 10 people who returned from China under watch in hospitals in Kerala, Mumbai and Hyderabad

Kochi/Mumbai, Jan 24 (PTI) Ten people--seven in Kerala, two in Mumbai and one in Hyderab--who were among hundreds of passengers who returned from China in recent days are under observation in hospitals to check for possible exposure to dely vel coronavirus, central and state officials said on Friday.

Officials in Kerala said ar 73 people were being kept under medical surveillance at ir homes in state.

As over 20,000 passengers returning from mainland China and Hong Kong underwent rmal screenings at seven international airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderab and Cochin, All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS) in Delhi has set up an isolation ward and kept beds rey for providing treatment to any suspected case of respiratory infection.

According to Kerala state health ministry officials in Thiruvananthapuram, seven people who h shown mild symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat are under watch in state-run hospitals in different districts in state. Among m, two of m are in Kochi, while one each is in observation in state capital, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Pathanamthitta.

state government has vised those under home surveillance to remain at home for 28 days from date of ir departure from China.

coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but virus in China is a vel strain and t seen before. It has killed 26 people so far, and has caused alarm because of its similarity to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

According to a union health ministry official, two persons who returned from China have been kept under observation at a Mumbai hospital while one person has been placed under watch at a hospital in Hyderab.

However, positive case has been detected in country so far, he said.

official said a total of 20,844 passengers who travelled in 96 flights from China have been screened at airports till January 24.

Also, on basis of details provided by Indian Embassy in China, around 25 students who have returned to India recently from Wuhan are being closely monitored, official said.

ir details have been shared with district-level officers and y are being monitored closely for any symptoms.

Two people who returned to Mumbai from China have been kept in an isolation ward at Kasturba Hospital, and ir blood samples collected to check for new strain of coronavirus, officials said in Mumbai.

As many as 1,789 passengers underwent rmal screening at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai for coronavirus since January 19 and two of m were mitted to civic-run Kasturba Hospital in city as a precaution, y said.

Till w, cases of coronavirus infection have been detected during screening, a health department official said.

" passenger with history of visit to Wuhan city of China in last 14 days was found positive (for virus) during rmal scanning," he said.

Coronavirus cases were first reported from Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has created an isolation ward at Kasturba hospital.

" isolation ward has been created for diagsis and treatment of persons suspected to have virus infection," said Dr Pmaja Keskar, executive health officer of BMC.

Keskar said two persons under observation at hospital have mild cough and exhibited cold-related symptoms.

Doctors at airport have been asked to send travellers returning from China to isolation ward if y show any symptoms of vel coronavirus, she said.

"All private doctors in city have been asked to alert us if y observe symptoms of coronavirus in any person who has returned from China," she ded.

According to Kasturba Hospital sources, y have received detailed instructions from Maharashtra government about how to deal with a coronavirus infection.

Apart from Kasturba Hospital, quarantine facilities have also been provided at Naidu Hospital in Pune, officials said.

During screening at Mumbai airport, six passengers -- three from Pune and ar three from Mumbai -- underwent furr medical examination, he said.

"Four of m were found to be perfectly alright. As a precaution, two ors who were suffering from a mir cold and cough have been mitted to Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai and kept under monitoring," he said.

AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said, "We have an isolation ward and we have beds kept rey for providing care and treatment for suspected coronavirus cases in Delhi or elsewhere in India."

"All precautionary measures -- in terms of personal protection equipment for healthcare workers to prevent spre of disease while treating infected patients -- are in place." PTI TGB PLB KK GDK GSN ZMN