Screening of flight, ship passengers to be intensified in TN

“The trend in the number of patients being affected by nCoronavirus is decreasing and we hope that the infection comes under control soon. However, some more countries including Nepal, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia are also among the affected countries so the screening has been intensified and control measures against the disease have been strengthened, as per the national guidelines,” said public health director Dr K Kolandaisamy.

Passengers arriving in flights from China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia are screened universally through thermal screening.

In Tamil Nadu, till date 67,105 passengers are screened at the airports of Chennai, Tiruchy, Madurai and Coimbatore and the samples of all 47 passengers that were tested have been processed and found to be negative for nCoronavirus infection. The health status of the passengers under home quarantine are stable as they remain under observation.

Health department officials say screening at the ports has also been intensified after the crew members were found to have symptoms of fever. The results were negative but the screening has not been relaxed.