TLI Staff
New Delhi: Health Minister Harshvardhan on Wednesday addressed a press conference where he informed reporters about the preparedness of the ministry regarding novel coronavirus.
The minister also informed the media about the updated number of coronavirus infected people and also talked about the steps the government is taking to keep a check on the disease.
Apart from preparing the hospitals to develop the isolation facility and deploying rapid response team, plans are also afoot for conducting universal screening.
The minister informed that a meeting of group of ministers will be conducted at 3 PM today. There are plans to screen the international passengers who are coming to India from any flight. “Everybody will be part of universal screening,” he said.
“If Iran cooperates, we have sent our four scientists there and we plan to establish a lab in Iran so that our people who have to be brought from Iran can be tested there first,” he said.
Updating the media about the number of people who are infected, Harsh Vardhan said the figure is 28 right now. “There was a group of 23-24 Italian tourists who had come to India. Their driver was an Indian. 16 Italian and one Indian plus his wife have been tested positive of coronavirus in that group.”
“There is one person who had been tested positive in Jaipur and one in Telangana. The three cases that had emerged in Kerala have been treated and they are doing fine now. There is one infected person in Delhi who had come from Italy and who have infected six of his relatives in Agra,” he said in the press conference.
There are also 19 additional labs being set up apart from the existing 15 labs. Steps are being taken to isolate the contacts of the people infected.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan has asked people not to panic and follow simple precautions to deal with Corona virus.
1) Avoid participating in a gathering with huge number of people
2) The infection spreads through droplets, through saliva. It is advised to try not touch the other person and instead of hugging or shaking hands, a namaste will do.
3) Wash your hands properly with a soap for at least 20 seconds up to your elbow.
4) If you have to sneeze, use a tissue paper or handkerchief. If using a tissue paper, dispose it correctly. Cover your mouth with your elbow while sneezing.
5) Avoid touching doors, knobs, surfaces in public areas.
6) Suspected person should wear a mask and take measures to prevent infecting other people.
Treatment
1) Take paracitamol and plentry of fruits
2) Drink lots of water
3) Take rest
Third case of coronavirus confirmed in Kerala, patient stable