Bengaluru (Karnataka) : A total of five people suspected of being infected with coronavirus have been admitted to the isolation wards of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bengaluru.

Samples of these patients have been collected and their reports are likely to be received later today. Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has assured people in state about preparedness to tackle coronavirus.

At least 25 people suspected of coronavirus are admitted to Safdarjung Hospital in the national capital, said the Health Ministry officials. Four more patients, who have been suspected of Coronavirus, are kept at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, they said.

Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had said that there were 28 cases of coronavirus in the country and added that universal screening of all international flights will begin to control the spread of the deadly virus.

Global deaths due to coronavirus outbreak have risen above 3,000. Amid the threat of an outbreak of coronavirus, the Varanasi airport administration has ordered all employees to wear masks during duty hours.

The Health Department conducted an emergency meeting on Tuesday at the Lal Bahadur Shastri airport in which officials from the Airports Authority, major airlines, CISF and medical team among other agencies participated.

The Karnataka government has advised city-based companies to allow their employees to work from home if they have flu-like symptoms.

"Those employees having flu like symptoms may be allowed to work from home with advice of standard hand hygiene and cough etiquette," the Health Department said in its advisory.

The advisory asked people to avoid non-essential travel to COVID-19 affected countries and refrain from travel to China, Iran, Republic of Korea, Italy and Japan.

"Employees other than those restricted countries arriving directly or indirectly from China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Hong Kong, Maccau, Veitnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, the UAE and Qatar must undergo medical screening at airport entry," the advisory read.

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