New Delhi: Chinese telecom gear maker Huawei India on Wednesday said it has suspended travel to and from China to combat the deadly novel coronavirus infection.

The company has also quarantined Chinese employees along with their family members in India with recent travel history to China.

"The recent outbreak of respiratory illness caused by novel coronavirus (nCoV) first detected in Wuhan, China, has concerned Huawei. In accordance with instructions from authorities, Huawei has initiated contingency plans to help contribute to the health and safety of our staff and the communities in which we operate," Huawei India said in a statement.

The company has established a dedicated epidemic prevention and control emergency response team.

"Preventive and control measures include suspending indefinitely all trips to and from China at the first signs of the outbreak. Quarantine of all Chinese employees recently dispatched on overseas assignments, along with their family members and any other who has close contact with them," the statement said.

The company said it has prepared comprehensive policies and materials designed to manage the threat of an epidemic under Huawei's business continuity management system.

The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose to 490 in China on Tuesday, while the number of those affected by the deadly disease has crossed 24,000.

One death was reported earlier this week from the Philippines.

So far, the virus has spread to Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Macau, Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the US, Canada, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Russia, Finland, Spain, UAE and Sweden.

India has reported three confirmed cases of nCoV so far from Kerala, where nearly 2,000 people are under observation in hospitals and homes.

Three medical students of Wuhan University, all natives of Kerala, who recently returned to India have tested positive.

As many as 401 people have been quarantined at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police facility in Delhi's Chhawla area since the last week after they were brought in two batches from Wuhan onboard separate Air India flights.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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