No confirmed coronavirus case in Chhattisgarh so far

Samples of 82 of 94 persons in Chhattisgarh who were suspected to have coronavirus exposure have tested negative for infection, a senior health official said on Tuesday.

In remaining cases, either the results were awaited or the samples were rejected. The state has not recorded a single confirmed coronavirus case so far.

"On Tuesday, laboratory reports of 10 samples were received and none of them tested positive," the official said.

"Samples of 94 people were sent for testing until now, of which, 82 came out negative while reports are awaited for five. Seven samples were rejected by the nodal laboratory as they did not fit the criteria of suspected patients as per the guidelines of Indian Council of Medical Research," he said.

The samples are being tested at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Raipur.

Of the persons whose samples were sent for testing, 26 have completed their surveillance period while others are under home isolation, the official informed.

A quarantine centre has been set up at the Rural Engineering Training and Research Institute at Jhanjh village in Nava Raipur, he said.

"All incoming passengers are being screened at the Raipur airport," the official added.

The health department has directed all the collectors to set up quarantine centres at the district level, he added.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday appealed to people to cooperate with the government in its efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.

He rubbished the rumour that the coronavirus can be transmitted through chickens. The rumour has led to a steep fall in chicken sales.

"It is good to be a vegetarian. But coronavirus is not spreading through consumption of chicken," the CM said.

The state government has already ordered schools, colleges, universities, Anganwadis, public libraries, swimming pools, cinema halls, multiplexes, water parks and gyms to remain closed till March 31.