28 passengers screened for novel coronavirus, no cases found:

A total of 28 passengers of different flights over the past two days have been screened for novel coronavirus infection at the Cochin International Airport but all tests were found negative, a CIAL spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The passengers, who came "indirectly" from affected areas (arriving by connected flights from China instead of directly flying from there), had undergone screening tests, he said.

"All tests were found negative (for infection). No alarming situation inferred," he added.

The Cochin International Airport has put in place precautionary measures as per the Centre's instructions and made arrangements for screening passengers arriving from China following outbreak of an infection caused by a new strain of virus there, CIAL sources said.

Special health counters have been opened near the immigration desk to brief passengers coming from suspected areas about the health issues and precautionary measures to be followed, the spokesperson said.

"All touch points sanitised. Special masks and gloves distributed to all officials deployed at international arrival area," he said in a release here.

With the help of Kochi Medical college, an isolation ward has been opened in the hospital there.

Special transportation arrangements, including a sterilised ambulance, have been madeready to transport passengers with suspected infection to the medical college, the spokesman said.

The coronavirus (CoV) is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but the virus that has killed people in China is a novel strain not seen before.