No coronavirus cases in TN: Vijaybaskar

Those under observation included a medico who had travelled from Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus in China, along with a person from Kerala who has tested positive for the infection, state Health and Family Welfare Minister C Vijaybaskar said.

"But none has any symptoms of coronavirus--cough, fever and breathlessness," he told reporters here after chairing a meeting of stakeholders to discuss preventive measures.

He said their samples were tested at a newly created facility at the King's Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research here and that all of them turned out 'negative' for the virus.

"Therefore, we can say with conviction that there is no coronavirus (case) in Tamil Nadu," the Minister added.

Further, the state government was awaiting the results of four samples sent earlier to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology, he said.

The novel coronavirus has so far killed 361 people and infected 17,205 others in China, and spread to 25 countries, including India, the US and the UK.

India has so far reported three confirmed cases of the deadly virus, all from Kerala.