Health Ministry urges people to come forward and report coronavirus symptoms, sets up helpline

The government on Saturday held a high level meeting to analyse the level of preparedness and steps being taken for the prevention and management of novel Corona virus.
The meeting held at the behest of the Prime Minister was chaired by his principal secretary.

“The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare briefed the Principal Secretary on the level of preparedness and the measures taken by us to keep the situation under control,” a senior government official said.

The officials assured the principal secretary that the situation is being closely monitored by the ministry of health and family welfare, in close coordination with various other Union ministries as well as State governments and Union Territories. He also reviewed the preventive measures taken by other Ministries like ministry of Civil Aviation.

So far, 20,000 people from 115 flights at 7 international airports have been screened. According to the health ministry, the National Institute of Virology is fully equipped to test the virus. “All state and District health authorities have been alerted and are in the loop,” added the official.

The government on Saturday also set up a 24x7 helpline (+91-11-23978046) to attend to public queries on the virus strain which has killed 41 people and infected more than 1,300 people in China so far and is reported to be spreading to several other countries.

Officials who attended the meeting told that 11 people, who returned to India from China in recent days, have been put under observation in Kerala, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad for possible exposure to the virus.

The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, Secretary Home Affairs, Secretary External Affairs, Secretary Defence , Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Secretary Civil Aviation and several other top officials in the government.

Union health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also reviewed their situation on Saturday and spoke with the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and assured all support for screening at the border with Nepal, where a confirmed nCoV case had been reported. “We are also writing to the Chief Ministers requesting for personal intervention to review the preparedness,’’ said the Minister.