Karnataka places border districts under coronavirus

The Karnataka government has placed border districts of Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Chamarajnagar and Mysuru under novel coronovirus surveillance following three positive cases in neighbouring Kerala.

The Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, State Surveillance Unit, said in a bulletin on Tuesday that till date 81 travellers from the coronavirus-affected countries have been identified and 58 of them are under home isolation.

"(the remaining) four Chinese passengers have left the country and two are admitted in a selected isolation hospital," it said.

Till date, 69 samples have been sent for testing; results of 44 of them available so far showed they are negative cases, the bulletin added.

Three students, including a woman medico, from Kerala who studied in Wuhan university in China had tested positive for the virus in the last few days, following which the LDF government declared the epidemic as a 'state calamity' on Monday night.

The department has also asked the people to adhere to the health advisory issued by the State government.

"In case any person with recent travel history to China and other affected countries have developed any symptoms, they are advised to report immediately to call the helpline 104-Arogya Sahayavani," the department said.

Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh appealed to people to contact the Health Department if they come across anyone with symptoms of the virus.

At Mangaluru International Airport, a health unit comprising doctors and assistants have been formed to screen passengers.

Mangaluru Airport officials have been directed to report any case of symptoms of the disease, District Health Officer Ramakrishna Rao said.

An isolation ward with ten beds have been set up at the government Wenlock Hospital to treat patients with the symptoms.

(Image Credit- PTI)