Health minister calls on PMO to discuss nCoV related issues

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday discussed issues related to the novel coronavirus (nCoV) with the officials at the PM's office and its preventive management in India, sources said.

The Health Ministry said that though nobody in India has tested positive for the infectious disease so far, which has affected several people in China, three persons -- two from Mumbai and one from Hyderabad -- who returned from China, have been put under observation for the novel coronavirus.

"As on January 24, as many as 20,844 passengers from 96 flights have been screened for Novel Coronavirus symptoms. Today, 4,082 passengers were screened in 19 flights. No nCoV case has been detected in the country so far. However, three persons have been put under observation," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday.

A travel advisory issued has been extended to 12 more airports in the country in addition to the existing seven.

"National Institute of Virology, Pune, is fully geared up to test samples of nCoV and ten other laboratories under the Indian Council of Medical Research's Viral Research and Diagnostics Laboratories network are also equipped to test such samples if a need arises," said a statement of the Health Ministry.

The Ministry has taken other measures to control the possible spread of the disease.

Till January 25, 1287 cases of pneumonia with nCoV were confirmed in China and a total of 41 people had died according to the National Health Commission, Xinhua reported.

Cases have been reported from more than 20 provinces including Taiwan, and municipalities as well.