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Updated: Feb 13, 2020 19:24 IST

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said PMO and health ministry are screening airports to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in India. He also reiterated that the government has stocked up on medical supplies in case of any untoward events.

Briefing the media in New Delhi, he said that border areas were constantly being monitored and screening facilities at airports were constantly being updated to deal with a situation if new coronavirus cases arise. He said flights arriving from Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong will be screened for new cases.

The health minister also said that the external affairs ministry is doing their best to help the stranded Indian crew members and tourists aboard the cruise ship quarantined near Yokohama, Japan.

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The minister said that so far only three cases have been tested positive for the COVID2019 out of 1,071 samples. He said that a total of 15,991 persons are being followed up for a period of 28 days of which 3,058 have completed 28 days of observation period. 497 suspected cases have been isolated.

Clinical samples of the 654 evacuees at Manesar and ITBP camps have also been tested and all of them were found to be negative.

Referring to the coronavirus cases which have tested positive in the country, Harshvardhan said that the three positive cases from Kerala are all Indian students from Wuhan in China.

Harsh Vardhan also said that the health ministry is in contact with the health authorities in the United States and they are ready to help China with medical supplies to contain the outbreak which has taken the lives of 1,367 people so far.

All 402 people kept in ITBP quarantine facility have tested negative and their condition is stable.

(With inputs from IANS)