Medical staff, wearing protective suits, hold medical waste
The Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Services department is observing 83 people across the state under home isolation for coronavirus symptoms, a health official said on Wednesday.
"We are observing 83 people across the state, including in Bengaluru, Tumkur and Mysuru, for coronavirus symptoms," the department's communicable diseases wing joint director Prakash Kumar told IANS.
No positive case from Karnataka yet
However, no positive coronavirus case has been reported from Karnataka yet.
"The four Chinese people under watch for the disease left the country on January 30, without being affected by the disease," said Kumar.
Interestingly, no individual in Karnataka is currently admitted to the hospital for coronavirus symptoms, Kumar confirmed.
State Health and Family Welfare Services Commissioner Pankaj Pandey had on Tuesday convened a meeting of health officials to review the situation and reinforce coronavirus surveillance and control measures in the districts bordering Kerala as well as the entire state.
Karnataka districts bordering Kerala on high alert
Four Karnataka districts bordering Kerala -- Kodagu, Mangluru, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru -- have been put on high alert in the wake of positive coronavirus cases in Kerala.
Starting January 20 till Wednesday, 10,184 passengers have undergone thermal screening for coronavirus at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).
Of all the people screened at the airport, only three people had a history of visiting coronavirus epicentre Wuhan in China.
In Bengaluru, flights arriving from China have been cancelled from February 1.
According to a state Health and Family Welfare Services department bulletin, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared coronavirus epidemic affecting 23 countries as an 'International Public Health Emergency'.
Of the 74 coronavirus symptomatic samples sent for testing, 52 have been declared negative from the state.
The 104 Arogya Sahayavani call centre, assigned to receive calls and provide guidance on coronavirus, attracted 1,012 calls thus far.
"In case people with recent travel history to China and other affected countries develop any symptoms, they are requested to call 104 or health authorities and provide all necessary details in order to take precautionary measures and are requested to be home isolated," said the department.
However, no passenger screened by the department is yet to complete the 28-day observation period.
Globally, close to 500 people have already succumbed to coronavirus and more than 20,500 confirmed cases have been reported.
(With inputs from IANS)
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