Coronavirus scare: 6 under home quarantine in Mizoram

The Mizoram government has placed six students, who had recently returned from China, under home quarantine as a part of precautionary measures in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the neighbouring country, officials said on Sunday.

Blood samples of two among the six have been sent to the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) in Kolkata for test, the state nodal officer of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, told PTI.

However, the NICED was not satisfied with it and had asked for fresh samples.

The students did not develop any symptoms of being infected by the coronavirus so far, the epidemiologist said.

He also said that another student, who is scheduled to return from China, will be arriving in Aizawl on Tuesday.

He will also be placed under home quarantine after being screened at the Lengpui airport, Lalmalsawna said.

All the six students have returned to returned to Mizoram from China since January and they have been quarantined at their homes according to the guidelines and procedures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

He said that the state government was closely monitoring the students by visiting their houses regularly.

According to the official, the state government has issued an advisory discouraging people to travel to other countries, especially China and its neighbouring countries.

He said that the state government also restricted import of goods from China and other foreign countries.