Passengers arriving by various modes of transport from Kerala were being screened at two checkposts on the border in Chamarajanagar district after Kerala declared a State calamity following three confirmed cases of novel Coronavirus.
So far, no suspected cases had been reported in the district but the health authorities are on high alert as Chamarajnagar shares its border with Kerala and a lot of people travel between the city and the towns in Kerala.
“The screening for passengers is being done as a precautionary measure since Sunday. There is no need to panic since all preventive measures had been taken for the prevention and control of the disease. The surveillance had been stepped up with three Coronavirus cases reported from the neighbouring State,” said District Health Officer Ravi M.C.
Two health teams had been deployed at Moolehole and Bandipur checkposts for the screening of passengers.
The teams screen for symptoms and seek the passengers’ travel history besides finding out whether they had any contact with the people who had recently visited China or with the patients/relatives tested positive.
“We don’t see all of them suspiciously. If they show noticeable symptoms, we subject them to further tests at the isolation ward set up at Gundlupet general hospital and Chamarajnagar district hospital. So far, no suspected cases had been reported. We have continued the surveillance and continuous monitoring is being done,” he added.
The health authorities are also distributing pamphlets to educate the public on the disease as an awareness building exercise.
Chinese under surveillance
Three Chinese nationals had been under surveillance near Gundlupet.
The DHO said: “On knowing about the presence of the Chinese nationals who are currently running a flower extract unit near Gundlupet, we met them and screened them as a precautionary measure. They are in the town since many days and are not from Wuhan. They belong to a different region in China. However, they displayed no symptoms of the virus but they had been advised to remain under isolation as a preventive measure.”
