Novel Coronavirus reaches Indo-Nepal border

The Union Health Ministry has decided that it will be screening people entering from the Indo-Nepal border in Uttarakhand after a positive case of the coronavirus was detected in Nepal.

New Delhi: There will now be an intensive screening of people along the Indo-Nepal border to deal with the menace of Novel Coronavirus. This decision has been taken after confirmation of coronavirus being found in Nepal.

The Union Health Ministry will make arrangements for screening on the Nepal border bordering Uttarakhand with immediate effect.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on this subject on Saturday.

Harsh Vardhan told the Chief Minister: "Arrangements are being made for screening people coming to India through Nepal border adjoining Uttarakhand. Apart from the screening, the Health Ministry will immediately provide all possible assistance to the state."

The government has taken this decision after a case of coronavirus unearthed in Nepal.

The Union Health Minister has also written a letter to the Chief Ministers of other states as well, urging them to personally monitor situation in this matter.

On Saturday, Harsh Vardhan held a high-level meeting in Delhi regarding the coronavirus menace. Officials of the Ministry of Health, scientists of ICMR and NCDC and other experts attended the meeting called for the prevention of the virus.

After the meeting, Harsh Vardhan said: "The Union Health Ministry has decided to form seven separate teams of experts to deal with Novel Coronavirus. These teams will take stock of arrangements to deal with the virus at the Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi airports."

The Union Health Ministry has also issued a helpline number 011-23978046 in this regard. The Ministry said that this helpline number will be available round the clock for any kind of information.

The Health Minister said that so far no person in India has been found suffering from the Novel Coronavirus. However, 11 persons are currently under the supervision of doctors on suspicion. Out of these, the results of the check up of four persons have come and no one was found suffering from the Novel Coronavirus.

The Ministry of Health is working closely with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of External Affairs and World Health Organization for the prevention of coronavirus. Under this, special checks are being done at the airports of passengers coming from abroad.