Coronavirus is not health emergency: Health Ministry

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry confirmed 81 positive cases of COVID-19 in India, out of which 64 are Indian citizens, 16 Italians and 1 Canadian national. He further reiterated that Coronavirus outbreak in India is not a "health emergency" and there is no need to panic.

New Delhi:Union Health Ministry on Friday confirmed that there are 81 positive cases of Coronavirus in India, out of which 64 are Indian citizens, 16 Italians and 1 Canadian national.

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry said, "124 evacuees from Japan and 112 evacuees from China are being discharged today as they were found negative for COVID-19 in the second round of test."

He further reiterated that coronavirus outbreak in India is not a "health emergency" and there is no need to panic.

Anil Malik, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs said that airport level screening will be done at the check posts. From March 14 midnight international traffic will be allowed only from 19 check posts out of 37 and Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses will be suspended till April 15.

MHA official further said, "central government has also decided to allow the state government to use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for fighting the COVID-19."

Rubina Ali, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation said, "Today, an Iran flight brought back 44 Indians from Iran. The flight reached today at Mumbai airport and they have been put at quarantine centre of Navy."

Aviation Ministry official further informed reporters that tomorrow afternoon an Air India flight will take off from Delhi airport to Milan to bring back the stranded Indians and it would be landing on Sunday morning at Delhi airport.