Coronavirus Alert: Central Medical Team To Visit Hyd, Toll Free No Announced

Created: Jan 27, 2020, 11:14 IST | Updated: Jan 27, 2020, 13:08 IST

HYDERABAD: Airports across India are on a high alert after a new coronavirus outbreak already killed 56 in China, the epicentre of outbreak. Measures and checking are going on across all the major airports in order to prevent the virus from spreading further.

As a precautionary measure, a three-member team from the Central government is arriving in Hyderabad on January 27 to review the preparedness of the state health authorities in dealing with possible outbreak of the disease.

According to reports, a three-member team includes an official from Nation Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), an infectious disease medicine expert and an epidemiologist. The team will be meeting Dr Anuradha Meduju, chief of Airport Health Organization, Hyderabad. After that, they will also meet senior health officials to review the preparedness of hospitals, as well as measures being taken by response teams to deal with possible cases of coronavirus.

The medical team, along with the Anuradha Reddy, Airport Health Officer for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, will examine the thermal screening procedure undertaken at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Monday.

Speaking to a daily, Anuradha Reddy, the Airport Health Officer said, “There is nothing to panic. We are just taking the necessary steps to review how prepared state health authorities are, in case an outbreak occurs. There will be meetings with senior health officials to consider measures being taken. The quarantine centres in the state will also be visited by the medical officials.”

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare tweeted about the screening of passengers across all airports in the country.

Take a look at the tweet:

Update on #nCoV2019 :

Total of 29,707 passengers from 137 flights screened.
4,359 passengers of 22 flights screened today. No case of #coronarvirus found till date.@PMOIndia @drharshvardhan @AshwiniKChoubey @WHOSEARO @MEAIndia @MoCA_GoI @AAI_Official @PIB_India @DDNewslive

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) January 26, 2020

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health had also tweeted about the 24 x 7 helpline number, which will be active for any queries regarding the disease and its prevention.

Novel #coronavirus outbreak in #China: Travel advisory to travelers visiting China.
24*7 Call Centre/Helpline number is active for any query on #nCoV.@PMOIndia @AshwiniKChoubey @NITIAayog @MoCA_GoI @MEAIndia @AAI_Official pic.twitter.com/sOZcqfmJ35

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) January 25, 2020