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Aizawl, Feb. 2 (PTI): Two persons, who returned to Mizoram from China in early January, have been put under house quarantine in wake of the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in the neighbouring country, a senior official said on Sunday.
Though they did not show any symptoms of being infected with the virus and both of them tested negative for the deadly virus, they were put under house quarantine as a precautionary measure, the Deputy Secretary of the state health department, Lalngura Tlau, told PTI.
The government has set up a screening counter at Lengpui airport and constituted a state-level task force as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in the state, Tlau said.
A medical team has been deployed at the airport to screen passengers and collect samples (throat swab) from them.
"The Centre has directed us to screen passengers who returned from China after January 14. We will check all passengers coming from outside," he said.
The state government has not yet received any report of anyone being infected in the state till date, Tlau said.
He also said that the government is in close contact with Mizo students in China.
"We have created a Whatsapp group for students from Mizoram for speedy information. We have been in close contact with them," he said.
Meanwhile, the state government has no plans to take back the student as the matter rests with the Union External Affairs ministry, the official said.
The health department has received a report that a student, who is returning from China has already reached India, and will land at Lengpui airport on Monday.
He will be screened again, the official added.
Tlau also said that the state task force team and chief medical officers in all the eleven districts are ready to handle any situation.
During a high-level meeting on Thursday, state Health Minister Dr R Lalthangliana instructed the state home department to set up screening points at inter-state and internal borders.
The government has set up a 25-bedded isolation ward at state Zoram Medical College (ZMC) for treating infected persons.
The Assam government on Sunday allayed the fears of people, following media reports, of a person admitted to a hospital here with coronavirus infection.
Assam Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pijush Hazarika said the person, who recently came from Kerala, was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for suspected coronavirus infection.
"He was kept in isolation ward and given treatment.
He is still in hospital and we are closely monitoring the situation," Hazarika said.
The youth, who hails from Morigaon district, was sent to the GMCH after he landed at the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here with flu-like symptoms.
"In view of news reports of a Coronavirus case in Assam, we would like to clarify that the symptoms of the person admitted in GMCH with fever and skin rash is that of Measles.
"The person is under observation," a statement from National Health Mission said.
In view of the coronavirus outbreak in China and India reporting the second case of novel coronavirus, the Airports Authority of India has taken special measures at the airport to screen passengers.
On Friday, Hazarika had said that a 30-member team from the state health department was put on duty in batches of 10 at the airport to screen passengers for suspected coronavirus infection.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The virus attacks the respiratory system, causing pneumonia-like lung lesions.
Some of the virus types cause less serious disease, while others - like the one that caused Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) - are far more severe.
In 2003 an outbreak of a similar virus, Sars, killed more than 900 around the world within weeks.
Symptoms are similar to a common cold.
In most cases, you won't know whether you have a coronavirus or a different cold-causing virus, such as rhinovirus.
But if a coronavirus infection spreads to the lower respiratory tract (your windpipe and your lungs), it can cause pneumonia, especially in older people, people with heart disease or those with weakened immune systems.
There is no vaccine for coronavirus.
To help prevent infection, do the same things you do to avoid the common cold such as using alcohol-based anti-bacterial soaps and sprays.
People should also avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth - and avoid contact with people who are infected.
A coronavirus infection should be treated the same way a cold is treated.
Coronavirus is an airborne virus, spread in a similar way to colds and the flu.
It is incredibly contagious and is spread through contact with anything the virus is on as well as infected breath, coughs or sneezes.
This means that anyone who is infected can pass it on to any surface or person they breathe on or touch.
In spite of efforts to contain the virus, it has gone international.
There have been more than 14,000 cases reported worldwide.
Japan, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan, Malaysia, US, Germany, Vietnam, France, UAE, Canada, Italy, UK, India, Philippines, Russia, Cambodia, Finland, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Spain and Sweden have all reported cases.