COVID-19: 6 quarantined in Maha, Sule says 34 stuck in Iran

COVID-19: 6 quarantined in Maha, Sule says 34 stuck in Iran

MUMBAI: Only six people are quarantined in Mumbai and Pune for possible Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection at present, the health department of the Maharashtra government said on Tuesday.

While no case of coronavirus infection has come to light in Maharashtra, NCP MP Supriya Sule has said 34 people from the state are stranded in Iran amid the virus scare there.

In a release, the state health department said 65,621 passengers have been screened for possible COVID-19 exposure upon arrival at the Mumbai international airport since January 18.

It kept track of 401 travelers who arrived from COVID-19 hit countries but did not have symptoms of the virus infection, and to date 318 of them have completed their 14 days follow-up period, it said.

Further, 152 people were admitted to isolation wards of hospitals for symptoms such as fever, cold and cough.

"Swab samples of 149 of these passengers tested negative to COVID-19 infection," it said, adding that the the reports of three people were awaited.

Presently only six people are quarantined, four in Mumbai and two in Pune, the statement said.

Passengers arriving from 12 countries/regions -- China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam, Italy, Iran and Malaysia -- are being screened at the Mumbai airport.

All travelers from the Wuhan city of China -- where the coronavirus outbreak started -- are being isolated and tested whether they show any symptoms or not.

Travellers from other affected regions are being asked to observe home isolation for two weeks from date of departure from the affected country even though they do not have any symptoms of the infection.

Apart from Mumbai, Pune and Thane, such travelers are being monitored in Gadchiroli, Nanded, Buldhana, Nagpur, Wardha, Sangli, Ahmednagar, Amaravati, Palghar, Jalgaon, Chandrapur, Nashik, Solapur and Satara districts.

NCP MP Supriya Sule said on Monday that 34 people from Kolhapur district were stranded in Iran, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar should ensure their safe return.

She also shared their names and passport details on Twitter.

On Tuesday the NCP leader thanked Jaishankar "for all the help and prompt replies always @MEAIndia".

India on Monday reported two new cases of the novel coronavirus, including one from Delhi, the Union Health Ministry said as the government stepped up efforts to detect and prevent the spread of the infection which has killed more than 3,000 people globally.

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