New Delhi: A day after two fresh cases of coronavirus emerged in Delhi and Hyderabad, six suspected cases have been detected in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, the Union health ministry confirmed Tuesday.
“Six cases with high viral load have been detected during sample testing in Agra. These are the ones who have come in contact with the COVID-19 patient from New Delhi,” the ministry said in a press release.
The six people are being kept under isolation and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for confirmation, the statement further added.
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Travel advisory
A revised travel advisory was also issued, suspending visas granted to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan.
“All regular (sticker) Visas/e-Visa (including VoA for Japan and South Korea) granted to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and issued on or before 03.03.2020 and who have not yet entered India, stand suspended with immediate effect,” a second government release stated.
Visas granted to all foreign nationals who travelled to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan on or before 1 February also stand suspended, the advisory adds.
Meanwhile, Indians have been advised “to refrain from travel to China, Iran, Republic of Korea and Italy”. The health ministry said the decision was taken “in view of the emerging global scenarios regarding COVID-19”.
Previous cases
A 45-year-old man from Delhi and a 24-year-old man from Hyderabad became the fourth and fifth victims of the virus Monday. The ministry revealed that both cases were self-declared.
“They had contacted us and the IDSPs (Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme). In the second case, the patient had initially gone to a private hospital and he is now being kept in a government hospital,” Health Secretary Preeti Sudan said.
While the man from Delhi had recently travelled to Italy, the patient in Hyderabad had gone to Dubai.
Earlier, three persons, all students from China’s Wuhan, had tested positive for the virus in Kerala. They were discharged after being treated.
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How long time the proper medication is available to cure this virus? It is very dangerous. Whole world is scared of this?
Viruses spread faster in enclosed spaces like cars. And with climate change, cars are idling at junctions with colpletely closed windows so that air conditioning can be run. Viruses also tend to remain & breed in these enclosed spaces, as the space is not sterlized. No car driver can know or ask if the person boarding has Covid. And the next passenger boarding a car used by a Covid positive passenger will be likely to get infected. Cars will catalyse the spread of Covid.
Country is in deep peril if the virus spreads in UP, the most ill-equipped state to to fight it.