NEW DELHI: The health ministry has urgently sought “separate passages at immigration and customs clearance counters and baggage belts” for passengers coming from 12 coronavirus hotspots at all international airports.The decision was taken late on Thursday when hours after the government ordered screening of passengers from all countries, Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan visited the Delhi airport. He was concerned at passengers from corona hotspots using the same passages as flyers from less-exposed countries and the possibility of infection spreading that way.Accordingly, the health ministry on Friday asked the finance ministry to have separate passage at airports from 12 countries — China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, France, Spain, UK and USA.A senior aviation official said, “We will do this to the extent possible at different airports.” A top Delhi Airport official said, “As per (government) direction, we are trying this for a few flights on Friday and Saturday to work out the modality.”Health ministry joint secretary Sudhir Kumar wrote to his counterpart in the finance ministry (department of revenue) in charge of customs, V K Shrivastava, on Friday saying: “Minister of health and family welfare (Harsh Vardhan) and other senior officers visited (Delhi’s) IGI Airport in the late night on March 5 and reviewed the preparedness with respect to universal screening of international passengers for coronavirus. It was observed that there was a mixing of international passengers from 12 more vulnerable countries and passengers from rest other countries at the immigration counter, customs clearance counter, baggage belts, etc.”“There is a likelihood of spread of infection from passengers coming from these 12 more vulnerable countries (China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, France, Spain, UK and USA) to passengers coming from other countries. Accordingly, it was directed that separate passage at the immigration counter, customs clearance counter and baggage belts should be ensured for international passengers coming from these 12 countries. All the concerned departments of the government of India are informed to take urgent steps at all the international airports in this regard. Needful action to be also taken for required security check by home ministry paramilitary personnel in this regard,” Kumar’s letter says.