Medical officers deployed at airport, Moreh to screen visitors

The Manipur Health department has deployed medical officers in Indo-Myanmar border towns of Moreh and Behiang and also at the Imphal airport to screen visitors for symptoms of the coronavirus, an official said.

Additional Director (Public Health) L Arke said precautionary measures to have been taken ever since the Centre's issued guidelines on coronavirus.

Medical officers have been deployed at Imphal Airport, Moreh, Jiribam town which borders Silchar in Assam, Mao which is the entry point to the state from Nagaland and Behiang in Churachandpur district, he said.

"Reports are collected on a daily basis and details on where the people come from and where they are headed are also been recorded at these five centres," Arke said.

The Health department is actively working to detect any individuals entering the state with symptoms of fever, cough and cold particularly at Moreh and Behiang, he said.

Dedicated ambulance is also being kept to attend to any individual with fever. They will be brought to the "isolation ward" of either Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in the capital town of Imphal.

The state government is taking precautionary measures as many Manipuris study in China and there is a possibility of people carrying the disease when returning to the state.

The screening work for detection of novel coronavirus will be carried out on both foreigners and Indians who are coming after travelling to China and adjacent countries.