12,828 passengers screened for novel coronavirus infection till Jan 22: Health ministry

A total of 12,828 passengers from 60 flights have been screened for novel coronavirus infection till January 22 but no positive case has been detected in the country so far, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.

Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan is reviewing the evolving scenario and preparedness status.

She has asked states and union territories to review hospital preparedness in terms of isolation and ventilator management of critically ill patients, identify gaps and strengthen core capacities in the area of surveillance and laboratory support, an official statement said.

Thermal screening is being done at the international airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin.

Meanwhile, amid reports that a nurse from Kerala working in Saudi Arabia has tested positive

for the new coronavirus, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged External Affairs minister S Jaishankar to

take up the matter with the Gulf nation and ensure expert treatment.

However, health department sources in Kerala said there is no information about nurses from the state having been affected.

The civil aviation ministry has asked airlines to follow International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines for managing and notifying anybody reporting illness on flights originating from China and disembarking in India. 

The ministry has instructed for in-flight announcements for India bound flights.

A travel advisory was issued on January 17 and put up on the ministry's website and also on the Twitter handle for wider circulation.

"Port and airport health organisations have been sensitised and thermal screening has been initiated at the international airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin airports," the statement said. 

The airport health organisations have also put up signages at prominent locations informing the public about self-reporting of illness. Immigration officers manning the counters have been sensitised at these airports. 

The ministry of health has written to the governments of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and Karnataka to review and strengthen preparedness measures at designated airports for provision of isolation and critical care facilities, linkages with VRDL network laboratories and adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines. 

Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme has issued advisory to all states and union territories for surveillance to pick up any travel related case reported in the community and follow up contacts of suspect or confirmed cases.