Coronavirus outbreak: Two Indians returning from China quarantined in Mumbai
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, two persons who returned to Mumbai from China were quarantined after exhibiting signs of a possible infection. The two have been admitted to the civic-run Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai's Chinchpokli. Since mid-December, the deadly coronavirus outbreak, which originated in China, has claimed 26 lives and infected close to a thousand globally. Here are more details.
Two persons exhibited symptoms of cold, had mild cough
According to PTI, the two persons have been kept under surveillance at the Kasturba Hospital, where an isolation ward has been created specifically for coronavirus cases. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's executive health officer, Dr. Padmaja Keskar, told the news agency that the two were found to have a mild cough and also exhibited cold-related symptoms, which hinted at a possible coronavirus infection.
The two landed in Mumbai on January 22
The two—who are residents of Kalyan and Nalasopara—were placed under surveillance after thermal screening at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport along with three others, who were not admitted to a hospital. They had landed in Mumbai on January 22, The Times of India reported. The state health department had, however, decided to follow up with all five persons for 28 days.
All private Mumbai doctors asked to report possible coronavirus cases
Dr. Keskar told PTI, "All private doctors in the city have been asked to alert [the BMC] if they observe symptoms of the coronavirus in anyone who has returned from China." Kasturba Hospital sources also told the news agency that they have received detailed instructions from the state government about the coronavirus. Officials revealed that quarantine facilities are also available at Pune's Naidu Hospital.
1,789 passengers screened at Mumbai airport since January 19
Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Kochi, etc., have stepped up screening of passengers amid the coronavirus outbreak. At Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji airport, authorities have screened 1,789 passengers since January 19, however, no positive cases have been detected yet.
What is the coronavirus outbreak?
Since mid-December, a new coronavirus strain—2019-nCoV—has spread from China to other countries. It's believed to have emerged from the city of Wuhan and has infected over 830 people in China alone. Till Friday, 26 people died after contracting the virus, which targets the host's respiratory faculties and causes pneumonia-like symptoms. Confirmed cases have been observed in countries like Thailand, Japan, the United States, etc.
25 Indians who returned from Wuhan under close watch
Notably, Wuhan has a large number of Indian students studying medicine. Although many had returned home due to the Chinese New Year holidays, some remained in the city to continue academic work, NDTV reported. It remains unclear how many Indians are still in the city. At least 25 students who returned to India from Wuhan are under close watch, according to Hindustan Times.
