Another traveller in Chennai tests negative for Covid-19, discharged

This follows another passenger, who was suspected to have the symptoms, being sent home after his condition was observed to be normal, State Health department officials said.

The department is thermal screening air passengers arriving here from China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Japan and South Korea. “In Tamil Nadu, 45,180 passengers have been screened at the airports in Chennai, Tiruchy, Madurai and Coimbatore so far. Currently, 2,181 passengers are under home quarantine for 28 days. No passenger is under observation in isolation wards after the last test result also turned negative,” said Public Health Director Dr K Kolandaswamy.

So far, 43 samples were taken from passengers and sent for testing at the King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research in Guindy, while four samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune. The samples of all passengers returned negative for Covid-19. The health status of those people under observation at their home is also stable, officials said.

The Health department officials said that all those who have travelled to China should remain under strict isolation at home or hospital for 28 days from their date of arrival inIndia.

VO Chidambaranar Port officials on Sunday denied allegations of negligence in handling Panama-flagged general cargo ship ‘RU YI I’ with Chinese crew members while it was allowed to berth at the port, amid scare over novel coronavirus. The ship with 19 crew, including 15 Chinese nationals, visited ports in China last month. It was allowed to berth at VOC Port on February 14, before it left for Mumbai on Sunday. Allegations surfaced accusing port officials of not complying with the official order over suspension of landing permit and shore pass to Chinese national crew members and foreigners residing in China in view of Covid-19 outbreak. Denying it, Port officials said the cargo ship reached the port outer area. “The people on board were subjected to tests as per standard operating procedures for ships that had called on China,” officials said, adding that landing permit was denied to Chinese nationals on the ship.