806 people under observation in Kerala, 10 in isolation wards

: At least 806 people who returned from China over the past few days are under observation in Kerala for possible exposure to the novel coronavirus, Health officials said here on Wednesday.

Out of the total of 806 people, 173 had arrived in the state on Wednesday.

While 10 of them are under observation in isolation wards at various hospitals across the state, the remaining are under home quarantine.

Health Minister K K Shylaja has asked those who have returned from China to avoid travelling to other places and keep themselves under self quarantine for 28 days.

"It's better to observe self quarantine for 28 days.

In case they are suffering from cough, shortness of breath or have low-grade fever, they must contact the specially arranged medical centres at each district.

There is no need to go to any other hospitals," Minister said in a medical bulletin on Wednesday.

The health department also gave the phone number, 0471- 255-2056, to make available the details of the hospitals arranged for treatment with isolation wards.

The medical bulletin said that at least 19 people had been admitted in various hospitals since the past one week, of whom nine were discharged after medical checkup.

"Of the 16 blood samples sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, results of 10 were found negative. We are yet to receive the results of six more samples," a health official said.

A three-member central team had visited Kerala on January 27 and 28 and held a meeting with Kerala Health authorities, including Principal Health Secretary Dr Rajan N Khobragade, here and discussed the preventive measures taken against the backdrop of the Coronavirus outbreak in China's Wuhan province.

A thermal screening facility was opened at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on Tuesday to scan passengers coming from the neighbouring country, they told reporters.