New Delhi (NVI): Hours after two more positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed in India, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to China, Iran, Korea, Singapore and Italy.
“We are screening passengers coming from 12 countries, at present. Initially, universal screening was being done for passengers coming to India from China, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. Later, passengers from Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia, Iran and Italy were also added,” the Union Health Minister said in a tweet.
The minister also confirmed the two new COVID-19 positive cases reported in Delhi and Telangana. He was addressing a presser at the Ministry of Health today after a meeting with Group of Minister on coronavirus.
Vardhan added that screening of passengers is being conducted at 21 airports, 12 major and 35 minor seaports.
“Around 5,57,431 passengers have been screened so far at airports and 12,431 passengers have been screened on minor and major seaports,” he said.
He also said that apart from 15 labs at NIV Pune, 19 more labs are expected to be functional soon.
The Ministry of Health also released a statement in connection with the two fresh cases reported in India.
“As the situation develops, the travel restrictions may be further extended to other countries,” the Ministry said.
Meanwhile, China reported 42 more deaths due to coronavirus today, even as there is a reduction in the pace at which people were dying from the virus there. The global death toll has exceeded 3,000 mark.
Worldwide, there have been almost 90,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
