India closely monitoring situation evolving in China following Coronavirus outbreak

India is closely monitoring the evolving situation in China following the outbreak of mysterious Coronavirus which claimed the lives of 18 people and has infected hundreds, based on the number of confirmed cases.

Indian Embassy here is in touch with relevant Chinese authorities in Beijing and Wuhan as well as Indians in Hubei Province. It has started two hotlines to get in touch with the embassy in regard of Coronavirus-- +8618612083629 and +8618612083629.

"Embassy of India has been receiving queries from Indians in Hubei province as well as their relatives in India in connection with the evolving situation of the coronavirus epidemic in China. In this regard, Embassy of India is in touch with relevant Chinese authorities in Beijing and Wuhan as well as Indians in Hubei Province, especially in Wuhan. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation in China, including advisories issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) in this connection," said the embassy in a statement.

The deadly virus has originated from the city of Wuhan in the month of December and since then cases have been reported in the United States and several Asian cities other than China, including South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand.

To check further spread of the virus, Chinese authorities on Thursday put Wuhan city under lockdown.

Indian Embassy said that the Chinese authorities have assured all assistance to residents of Wuhan, including food supply.

"At present, it is reported that supermarkets (particularly those that are government run) and e-commerce services, including food delivery continue to remainoperational in Wuhan," said the embassy.

The authorities in Wuhan city have imposed a complete travel ban on local residents, in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly virus. The ban issued by command authority in the city said that from 10:00 am on Thursday, urban buses, subways, ferries and long-distance passenger transport would be suspended in the city. Flights and trains departing from Wuhan will also be suspended.

As the Coronavirus outbreak continues to spread from China to different parts of the world, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that people coming from the Asian country will have to mandatorily go through a screening process at airports in India.

"Advisory has been issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and our consulates in China. People coming from China will have to go through the screening process (at airports)," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a weekly briefing here.