As coronavirus cases are popping up across the country, with the national capital reporting three positive cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that he will meet Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday and ask for a travel ban to and from Coronavirus affected countries.
"Tomorrow, we will meet Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and request a total travel ban to and from the coronavirus affected countries with India. All patients who have tested positive for the virus have a travel history to these affected countries," ANI quoted the chief minister as saying.
He also informed that there is no need for concern as the government is well prepared to tackle the crisis.
Speaking about the arrangements made to prevent the virus from spreading, he said,"40 doctors of Delhi Government are doing screening at airports. So far 1, 40,603 passengers have been screened. We are also observing Delhi residents who came from other countries in the last 14 days. If they show symptoms, we ask them to home quarantine and ask them to visit a hospital for examination. In our 25 hospitals, there are 168 isolation beds available. We have also provided treatment and sample examination services in these hospitals."
He added that only symptomatic patients should be visiting the hospitals to reduce the burden on the health system.
He also appealed to employers to provide paid leave to those quarantined so that their livelihood is not affected. Moreover, he urged people to contact the government if anybody from the neighbourhood returned from a foreign trip within the last 14 days.
The four positive cases in the Delhi-NCR region are one person residing in Uttam Nagar with a recent travel history to Thailand and Malaysia, a 41-year old Mayur Vihar resident with travel history to Italy, Paytm employee in Gurgaon who recently returned from a vacation in Italy, and a Ghaziabad resident with travel history to Iran.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had earlier announced that all primary schools in the national capital will remain closed till March 31 to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in India rose to 39 after Kerala Health Minister informed that five new positive cases have been admitted to a hospital in the state.
The deadly epidemic has spread across more than 100 countries and has claimed the lives of 3657 people.
