Centre, state govts take preventative measures as more confirmed Coronavirus cases emerge

As India fights against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak that has infected two people in the country so far, several measures have been taken by the Centre and state government to contain the spread of the deadly virus. By March 3, India confirmed two cases of the virus, one in Delhi, while another in Telangana. Since the news, the Health officials of the concerned states have called emergency meetings to closely monitor the situation.

Globally, more than 3,100 people have died of Coronavirus, the vast majority of them including from China. More than 90,000 people have been infected, with cases registered in more than 60 countries.

READ | India Confirms 2 Coronavirus Cases From Delhi, T'gana As Global Death Toll Breaches 3000

Measures taken in Karnataka 

Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Tuesday called an emergency meeting of top officials of his department, after receiving information that a man, who tested positive for novel Coronavirus in Telangana had also travelled from Bengaluru. The Minister in a tweet said people residing in the person's local address have been identified and are being closely monitored.

Earlier, Sriramulu had said, the state government has strengthened all surveillance and control measures against the spread of the virus in Karnataka. To date, 468 travellers from COVID 2019 affected countries have been identified and 284 are under home isolation while one admitted in a selected isolation hospital, he had said.

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Measures heightened in Hyderabad  

The first confirmed case of the novel Coronavirus in Telangana was reported from Hyderabad on Monday where a man, who recently returned from Dubai, tested positive for the virus.

Telangana Health Minister E Rajender said on Monday said that the condition of the man was stable and he is being treated in an isolated ward at the state-run Gandhi hospital in the city. According to the minister, the government is tracking all those who came in contact with the infected man, including family members besides those who travelled with him on the bus and the medical staff in the private hospital where he was treated.

Replying to a question, Rajender said about 80 people, including members of the patient's family and hospital staff, have been identified.

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Visas issued to citizens of four nations suspended

A day after two fresh cases of coronavirus was reported in India, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday issued a travel advisory suspending all regular visas/e-visas granted on or before March 3 to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan who have not yet entered India.

The advisory also suspends visa on arrival (VoA) issued by March 3 to Japan and South Korea nationals who have not yet entered India. Those requiring to travel to India due to compelling reasons may seek fresh visas from the nearest Indian Embassy/Consulate, said the advisory which brought the suspension with immediate effect.

In view of the emerging global scenarios regarding COVID19, in supersession of all earlier advisories, the government issued the new travel advisory on Tuesday.

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Wuhan evacuees test negative for Coronavirus

As a big relief to India, the 112 evacuees who were evacuated from the central Chinese city of Wuhan on February 27 have all tested negative for the Coronavirus. The evacuees were quarantined at the ITBP's Chhawla Facility.

The evacuees, who include seventy-six Indians and thirty-six foreigners, were taken to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force quarantine centre in the Chhawla area of the national capital after being brought back. The first samples of the fresh batch of evacuees who arrived from Wuhan were collected at the ITBP Chhawla Quarantine Facility in Delhi on Friday and were then sent to AIIMS for testing.

The evacuees include 80 men, 32 women, and 5 children along with eight families.  Another test will be held on the 14th day of the quarantine, and if all test negative, they will be soon released. 

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