Virus may have reached Indore through air travellers: Official

The coronavirus infection may have come into Indore in Madhya Pradesh through air travellers in January-February, Collector Manish Singh said on Friday. Indore is among the worst coronavirus-hit cities in the country with over 840 cases, and 47 people have died of the infection so far, a mortality rate of 5.58 per cent that is much higher than the national average.

"It appears the virus came into the city from the local airport through air passengers in January and February," Singh said. Since he was not the collector of Indore at the time, Singh said he does not what were the instructions issued to officials then in connection with the outbreak.

"I feel the 5,000 to 6,000 people who returned from abroad should have been screened at the airport then. They had come from abroad and should have been strictly confined to their homes by the health department," he said. Singh said some protests were also held in Indore city in January-February, which was attended by outsiders.