Coronavirus outbreak: New semester in Chinese universities postponed

State Council of China has decided to postpone new semester of universities in wake of dely coronavirus outbreak, Chinese Embassy has informed Union Health ministry.

students will be tified by ir respective universities.

According to an official, several students who h returned from China after epidemic h approached health ministry saying ir respective universities were asking m to join back or y would lose ir mission status.

" issue was taken up by Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan during her meeting with Chinese Ambassor recently," an official statement said.

"This request has been responded to favourably. Chinese Embassy has written that State Council of China has decided to postpone new semester of universities, including Southwest University for which Secretary h represented. students will be tified by ir respective universities accordingly," it said.

A total of 654 people, mostly students, were evacuated from coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan on February 1 and 2 and quarantined at two facilities set by Army and ITBP in India. y all have been discharged.

third and final batch of inmates quarantined at ITBP facility was released on Wednesday.

With latest release, all 406 people at Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) facility have been discharged after y tested negative for virus.

All 248 people who were lodged at Army camp in Manesar were discharged on Tuesday.

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

Two of three medical students who h tested positive for coronavirus infection have w been discharged, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan h said on Monday.

condition of third one is stable, he h said.

death toll in coronavirus epidemic in China crossed 2,000-mark on Wednesday, while overall confirmed cases have climbed to 74,185. PTI PLB DPB