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All 645 Wuhan evacuees test negative for Coronavirus, no new cases: Health ministry

India had airlifted over 640 Indian students and seven Maldivian students from Wuhan on Saturday and Sunday in a complex evacuation operation.

All 645 Wuhan evacuees test negative for Coronavirus, no new cases: Health ministry

Students at Manesar Coronavirus quarantine facility. (Photo: IANS)

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday said all 645 evacuees from China’ Wuhan have tested negative for the rapidly spreading novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

No new case has been reported.

In addition, 510 samples have been tested by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) network laboratories of which all have tested negative except for three already reported positive cases from Kerala.

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“The three positive cases are clinically stable,” the ministry added.

It also said that as on February 6, 138,750 passengers from 1,265 flights had been screened for novel Coronavirus illness.

“Community surveillance and contact tracing is going on by Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme for 6,558 persons across 32 states and UTs,” said the Ministry.

Meanwhile, the fourth Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting was held on Thursday chaired by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to discuss various technical issues, including review period of follow up required for asymptomatic travellers from China.

“Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in coordination with central Ministries and all States and Union territories is taking adequate measures for the management of novel Coronavirus in India,” said the ministry.

“In case of fever, cough and symptoms of pneumonia, seek medical attention immediately. The ministry also provided a helpline number as well as an email ID in case of any doubts about the disease.

“For any technical query on 2019-nCOV call the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Helpline at +91-11-23978046 or email at ncov2019@gmail.com,” said the ministry.

Meanwhile, the death toll due to deadly novel Coronavirus outbreak in China has increased to 636, authorities said on Friday, while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 31,161.

India has created two Coronavirus quarantine facilities with the help of the Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). The facilities have been built near Manesar in Haryana and Chhawla camp in Delhi.

Meanwhile, India on Thursday offered all possible assistance to China in grappling with the situation arising from the Coronavirus outbreak and said it could also consider evacuating Pakistani students from the epidemic-hit Wuhan city if the situation arose and a request was received from Islamabad.

On reports that Pakistani students stranded in Wuhan have sought India’s assistance in evacuating them from Wuhan since the Imran Khan government has refused to rescue them, the MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “So far, no request has come from Pakistan. If the situation arises and we have resources, we will indeed consider it.”

Hundreds of Pakistani students stranded in Wuhan have made desperate pleas to the Pakistan government to evacuate them, urging it to take a leaf out of India’s book. However, Islamabad has ignored their pleas, saying medical facilities back home in the country did not meet the standards required to treat a patient diagnosed with Coronavirus.

India had airlifted over 640 Indian students and seven Maldivian students from Wuhan on Saturday and Sunday in a complex evacuation operation.

The Coronavirus has caused alarm because of its similarity to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

The Coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but the virus in China is a novel strain and not seen before.

The symptoms of infection include fever, cough and breathing problems.

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