Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Monday declared novel coronavirus ( nCoV) epidemic as a u201c state calamityu201d with a third student testing positive for the infection in the state.
State Health Minister K K Shailaja said the government wants to take necessary steps to ensure the outbreak is effectively controlled. The decision was taken hours after the third positive case in the country was confirmed from the state.
A medical bulletin issued by the government said the health status of all the three students, who tested positive for the virus, was u201c satisfactoryu201d. Earlier, two students who returned from Wuhan had tested positive for the virus.
Till date, a total of 2,239 people, who travelled from the nCoV- affected nations, including China, have been identified and placed under surveillance in the state, it said. Of them, 2,155 are under home quarantine and 84 have in isolation wards at hospitals. Shailaja said some people who have returned from China were evading the health department.
u201c What they are doing by not reporting is very dangerousu201d, she said. Agencies Indians airlifted from coronavirus- hit Wuhan city of China undergo tests at a quarantine facility set up by ITBP in New Delhi. pic/ pti Kerala govt declares nCoV as u2018 state calamityu2019
