NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that efforts were on to check and screen 88 people who came in contact with a Delhi man who tested positive for coronavirus. A taskforce headed by him has been formed to tackle the situation emerging from the coronavirus infection and there is no need to panic.
In neighbouring Noida, six people, including three children, whose samples were taken to check for coronavirus infection have tested negative. The six have, however, been kept self-quarantined at their homes for the next 14 days and if symptoms for COVID-19 develop, they would be retested.
Mr Kejriwal said that the taskforce will comprise all stakeholders concerned, adding that that the AAP government has taken various measures to contain the outbreak of the virus. “We have one confirmed case in Delhi till now and the patient has been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. He is a resident of Mayur Vihar, who had travelled first from Italy to Budapest and then from Vienna to Delhi. We have identified 88 people who he came in contact with after coming back to India. We are trying to conduct screening on all those 88 identified people,” Mr Kejriwal added.
Mr Kejriwal announced that a coronavirus testing lab will be set up at the Lady Hardinge Hospital and also at the LNJP Hospital if necessary.
“We are concerned about situation but no need to panic. We are doing whatever we can to control the coronavirus from spreading... Members of all the important departments in Delhi, state officials, and police officials have been included in the taskforce,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal informed that municipal corporations in Delhi are contacting and screening tourists from four countries where most cases of the infection have come to light.
He pointed out that thermal scanning of all the passengers landing from abroad is being conducted at the airports and referring them to RML hospital in case any symptoms are observed.
Until now, 1,16,579 patients have been screened at the airport.
