No confirmed case of coronavirus in MP so far; 151 under watch

No confirmed case of the novel coronavirus has been found in Madhya Pradesh so far though 151 people have been kept in isolation following their return from China and other countries affected by the deadly pathogen, an official said on Tuesday.

The state government has set up a call centre for monitoring suspected cases of the novel coronavirus (2019- nCoV) and created isolation wards in different hospitals to treat patients showing symptoms of the viral infection, he said.

No positive case of the coronavirus infection has been found in Madhya Pradesh so far, said the official from the state government's public relations department.

However, 151 people who have returned from China, from where the virus has originated, and other countries where it has spread, have been kept under isolation as a precautionary measure, he said.

Of these, 145 people have been kept under home isolation, while the rest are in hospitals, the official said.

Besides, 13 people were admitted to hospitals for suspected coronavirus infection, but they all tested negative for the pathogen, he said.

Of these, two patients - one each in Bhopals AIIMS and Vidishas district hospital - are undergoing treatment for other illnesses, the official said.

The state government has also made arrangements at airports for screening passengers returning from China, where the novel coronavirus epidemic has killed more than 1,000 people so far.

The official said the authorities are working in collaboration with the tourism department and the hotel industry to identify people who have arrived in the state from China and other countries affected by 2019-nCoV.

Foreigners visiting Sanchi, a Buddha heritage site near Bhopal, are also being screened, he said.

A large number of Chinese tourists visit Sanchi every year.

The coronavirus 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 and not seen before.

Common symptoms of the novel coronavirus strain include respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the WHO.