Coronavirus: 1,818 flights screened in country so far

Experts at various airports have so far screened 1,818 flights, covering a total of 1,97,192 passengers, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan informed Lok Sabha on Monday as he spoke on steps taken by the government to deal with Novel Coronavirus.

He also said that screening of passengers has been initiated at 12 major seaports and all minor ports in the country to identify passengers and crew coming from China and to isolate them in case they are found symptomatic.

"Teams of specialist doctors were sent to all airports to ensure effective screening and arrangement for isolation in attached hospitals.

As of today, a total of 1818 flights have been screened covering a total of 1,97,192 passengers," he said.

In view of a confirmed case in Nepal, the government has initiated screening at all integrated check posts from Nepal in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar, Seema Shastra Bal (SSB) and Land Port Authorities, the health minister said.

Gram Sabhas have been organised in villages adjoining borders with Nepal to create awareness amongst people about the disease and precautions to be taken.

Using integrated disease surveillance network, all persons are tracked and the government is following 9452 passengers across 29 states/UTs.

The state surveillance officers, district surveillance officers and rapid response teams of health professionals under the leadership of state Health Secretaries are monitoring all such people on a daily basis, he said.

Sufficient isolation beds have been made available in tertiary facilities across the country to manage any outbreak.

Three hundred and sixty nine symptomatic travellers have been referred to isolation facility and are being monitored, he informed the House.