Third Confirmed Coronavirus Case Reported From Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The third novel coronavirus case has been reported in India, with another Keralite student who returned from Wuhan university on Monday testing positive for the infection.

The medical student is in an isolation ward at Kanhangad district hospital in Kasaragod, Health Minister K K Shailaja informed the state Assembly.

The condition of the student is "stable", she said.

Out of the 104 samples tested till Sunday, three have tested positive. This is the third positive case reported from Kerala.

Two earlier positive cases, also of students who came back from Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, were reported from Thrissur and Alapuzha districts.

The minister made the statement in the Assembly under Rule 300 in the wake of three positive cases reported from the state.

A total of 1,999 people, who have a travel history from China and other affected countries, are under observation in Kerala, of whom 75 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.

The remaining 1,924 are under home quarantine as per a medical bulletin issued on Sunday night.

The minister has made it clear that those under observation at home should keep away from public functions and should not participate in any events or go out of their homes during the 28-day incubation period.

The virus strain not seen before has spread to at least 17 countries, where authorities have been scrambling to contain the epidemic and evacuate their citizens from the worst-hit Hubei Province in China. Chinese authorities have confirmed over 1,700 new cases of the coronavirus.

India, which is placed by a study at the 23rd place among "high-risk" countries where the virus can spread, has requested China to operate two flights to bring back its nationals from Hubei Province.

Authorities have been screening patients at airports, ports and borders for possible coronavirus infection and the Health Ministry has urged people to report themselves if they show symptoms of coronavirus such as cold and respiratory distress on the 24x7 helpline (011-23978046).

The ministry has asked people to refrain from travelling to China and the states bordering Nepal — Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim — have stepped up vigil.

Hundreds of people have been quarantined in hospitals, including over 800 in Kerala, and are being monitored by doctors, according to ministry officials.

India has increased the number of airports from seven to 21 where thermal screening of passengers is being done for possible exposure to nCoV. These include airports at Gaya, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Varanasi, Goa, Bhubaneswar and Lucknow.

Apart from NIV-Pune, the health ministry has established four more laboratories to test samples at Alleppey, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

The health ministry has advised those who have recently travelled to China (within last 14 days) or had possible contact with an nCoV-infected person, to stay at home, in isolation for 14 days after returning and sleep in a separate room.

It has advised them to cover nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu like symptoms (maintain a distance of at least 1 meter from any individual).

"In case you develop fever, cough or difficulty in breathing anytime within 28 days of return from China: Call at Ministry of Health, Govt. of India's control room no +91-11-2397 8046 for further information. Wear a mask immediately and report to nearest medical facility as advised Do not panic," the health ministry said.