The death toll in China due to coronavirus rose to 106 on Tuesday as the country continued to impose restrictions on travel to curb its spread. China’s national health commission said the number of confirmed cases now stood at 4,515, up from 2,835 a day before.
As many as 436 people who have returned from China, mainly the Wuhan province, are under observation in Kerala for suspected exposure to the novel coronavirus. Of them, five are in isolation wards and others have been quarantined at home.
A state health department official said 148 persons were put under observation on Monday, taking the total figure to 436. “The number of people under observation can go up in the coming days if the return of Keralites from China continue. So far, no one has tested positive. We had sent six samples to the virology lab in Pune, but all of them tested negative. Tomorrow, we are sending a few more samples,’’ official said.
Stating that the situation is under control at present, the official said, “We have to be realistic, especially after a positive case was confirmed in Nepal. We fear such a possibility and the department is fully prepared to meet such an eventuality,” he said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider operating a special flight to Wuhan or a nearby airport to airlift Indians stranded following the outbreak of coronavirus.
Vijayan wrote the situation in Wuhan has worsened, requesting the PM to give necessary directions to the Indian Embassy to provide necessary assistance to Indians stranded in Wuhan and Yichang. He also offered the assistance of medical teams in case Indians being evacuated require medical care.
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