A Group of Ministers met in New Delhi yesterday to review the preparedness and steps taken by the Ministries of Health, Shipping, External Affairs, Civil Aviation and Home Affairs regarding management of Novel Corona virus in the country.
The meeting was chaired by the Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.
The group, which has been constituted on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comprises of Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Shipping Minister Mansukh Lal Mandaviya.
A presentation of the status of the NCOV-2019 was made to the GoM. The members were also apprised of the three cases reported from Kerala, one of which was confirmed yesterday.
The preventive steps and measures taken for management of spread of Novel Coronavirus in India were presented, which included information about the revised travel advisories issued on Sunday regarding the temporary suspension of the e-visa facilities.
The Advisory has been revised informing the public to refrain from travel to China and that anyone with travel history to China since the 15th of last month and from now on could be quarantined.
Further, the e-Visa facility for Chinese passport holders has been temporarily suspended and e-Visa already issued to Chinese nationals is also not valid temporarily.
The GoM was also briefed that screening of passengers is ongoing in 21 airports, international seaports and border crossings, particularly with Nepal.
Universal screening in all flights from Singapore and Thailand besides Hong Kong and China is being done.