PMO is monitoring overall situation says Harsh Vardhan on coronavirus situation

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan Wednesday assured that the government is monitoring the Coronavirus situation at the highest level possible. He also informed that strict surveillance has been put on about 15991 people who have recently come from China, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.

New Delhi:The Prime Minister Office (PMO) is directly monitoring the overall situation in India that emerged following the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus in China. The Group of Ministers (GoM) over Coronavirous on Thursday has informed that India is fully equipped to counter any possible outbreak of the disease for next two months.

The GoM conducted its second meeting over Coronavirous in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan. The meeting was attended by Civil Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri, External affairs minister S Jayashankar, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, Minister for Shipping, Chemical and Fertilizer Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Chaubey.

Informing this to the reporters, Dr Harsh Vardhan further said that all the states have been put on high alert.

"Regular reviews are held with all related ministries of Health, Defence, External Affairs, Civil Aviation, Home, Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, Commerce, Panahcayat Raj, and other officials including state chief secretaries," said Dr Harsh Vardhan.

He said that the government has put all resources at its disposal to prevent and contain the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus.

He informed that strict surveillance has been put on about 15991 people who have recently come from China, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.

"We have pinpointed these people as they filled up the passengers form on board. We don't want to take any risk, so all these 15991 people who have recently come from abroad are under regular monitoring of the community health centers," said Dr Harsh Vardhan.

He said further said that one of the three medical students who had tested positive for Novel Coronavirus infection has been discharged after recovery.

"The remaining two, although they are stable, we are still waiting for confirmatory results before discharging them.

Dr Harsh Vardhan further said that all those people who came in touch with these three people after their arrival from China are also under observation.

Novel Coronavirus having its origin in China already claimed 1310 lives with 48206 cases registered.

Dr Harsh Vardhan also informed that two Indians aboard a British cruise ship off the Japan coast have been found positive. "Japanese Government has taken them to the hospital," Dr Harsh Vardhan said.

In fact, out of 3711 people, there were 138 Indians including 132 crew members and 6 passengers on the cruise.

"The Japanese government is dealing with them as per established protocols," informed the Health Minister.

The Health Minister informed that surveillance at points of entry is containing 21 airports, 12 major ports, 65 manor ports, and 6 land crossings.

"So far at the airports, a cumulative of 251447 persons (from 2325 flights) have been screened. 5491 and 285 passengers and crew have been screened at major and minor ports," Dr Harsh Vardhan said.

He said that ICMR is providing the Laboratory support with NIV, Pune as the nodal laboratory and 14 other network laboratories.

"This can be expanded to include 50 laboratories, of the situation so demands," the minister said.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said that India has extended support to the Maldives in testing samples and Bhutan in managing COVID-19. "We are sending essentials items including kits to China for combating the disease," the minister informed.

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