IT News
Mumbai March 8
Out of 245 passengers kept under observation for coronavirus, not a single passenger tested positive in Maharashtra even as the number of confirmed cases rose to 34 across the country with two cases detected in Ladakh and one in Tamil Nadu on Saturday.
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus went up to 34, with three more people — two from Ladakh with travel history to Iran and one from Tamil Nadu who had visited Oman tested positive.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has asked all airports to segregate the passengers arriving from China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Iran, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hongkong, Vietnam, Nepal and Indonesia, from other arriving passengers, till the conveyer belt areas at airports. The passengers from these 12 countries would not be allowed to mix with other passengers during “health screening, immigration and conveyer belt areas, the AAI tweeted.
In another development, a flight from Tehran brought swab samples of Indians in Iran who are suspected of having virus infection, on Saturday. The flight returned with many Iranian nationals. The Indian government also discussed with the Iranian authorities and a ferry flight to bring back Indians suspected to have contracted the coronavirus infection. The plane operated by Iran’s “Mahan Air” would not be carrying any passengers and would ferry Iranians from India on its way back to Tehran.
In Maharashtra, while 15 passengers suspected to be infected by coronavirus have been admitted to hospitals (12 in Mumbai, 3 in Pune), 230 passengers kept under observation were allowed to go, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.
In addition to Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport in Mumbai, thermal screening of passengers has been started at Pune and Nagpur airport. Till now 96,493 passengers arrived by 793 flights have been screened at the airports in Maharashtra. As of now total 532 passengers arrived in Maharashtra from affected nations, after the outbreak of coronavirus on 18 January 2020.
Maharashtra Government has banned the sale of N 95 respirators (masks) without prescriptions. N95 respirators can keep out airborne particles, although they aren’t completely leak proof. But a run on such equipment during a public health emergency can create a dangerous scarcity for medical professionals.
The ban on the sale of N 95, came after the government received complaints about cases of panic buying and hoarding of N95. The run on protective equipment is not limited to Maharashtra. In Uttar Pradesh, Agra’s district magistrate recently sealed three medical stores in a crackdown on black marketing. Mask and respirator prices soared in NOIDA when two schools were closed (a student’s parent tested positive). The World Health Organisation has already clarified that healthy people don’t need them unless they’re caring for the sick.
