India on
Thursday reported its first positive case of novel coronavirus (nCoV). The
Union ministry of health and family welfare in an official statement said a
student from Kerala, who was studying in Wuhan University and travelled to
India, has tested positive for the virus.
“The patient
has tested positive for novel coronavirus and is in isolation at the hospital.
The patient is stable and is being closely monitored," the statement said.
The Indian
government has said it is prepared to handle any outbreak in the country.
“Thermal screening sensors are operational and few more such equipment are
being procured. The immigration and other staff members at the airports have been
sensitized and dedicated ambulances are placed. Deployment of medical &
para-medical staff is also being done for round-the-clock service," an
official statement said. “Hospitals have prepared isolation wards, preparing
for any contingency. Personal protection equipments and masks are available in
adequate quantity in all the States/UTs."
According to
the ministry, Indian states and union territories have started thermal and
symptomatic screening of passengers at all the 21 identified airports.
Cornavirus
death toll in China climbed to 170 on Thursday, a sharp jump from the 132 on
Wednesday, according to information on a real-time tracking portal being
maintained by John Hopkins University. As of Thursday, confirmed cases numbered
7,783 across the world, with as many as 7,678 in mainland China.
So far, 15
countries, besides China, have reported a total of 68 confirmed cases,
according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Human
coronaviruses can cause mild disease similar to a common cold, while others
more severe disease (such as MERS, SARS). Some coronaviruses that are found in
animals can infect humans – these are known as zoonotic diseases," said
Jugal Kishore, director professor & head of department-community medicine,
Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital (Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare), New Delhi.
As there is no vaccine or drug available against the virus, the cases are
being managed according to their symptomatology. NCoV is fatal but exact
fatality is not estimated and how virus will behave in the new population is
also not known. Therefore, prevention and strict surveillance is very important
in India," he said.
The Ministry
of Ayush has also come up with an advisory to boost immunity to keep any
illness at bay in wake of the spread of coronavirus across the world.
The Emergency
Committee on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) under the International Health
Regulations (IHR 2005) will be reconvened by WHO director-general Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday to consider declaring a global public health
emergency. The committee will advise on recommendations to manage the outbreak.
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