28 passengers screened for novel coronavirus, no cases found: CIAL spokesperson

A total of 28 passengers of different flights over the past two days have been screened for novel coronavirus infection at the Cochin International Airport but all tests were found negative, a CIAL spokesperson said on Wednesday. The passengers, who came "indirectly" from affected areas (arriving by connected flights from China instead of directly flying from there), had undergone screening tests, he said.

"All tests were found negative (for infection). No alarming situation inferred," he added. The Cochin International Airport has put in place precautionary measures as per the Centre's instructions and made arrangements for screening passengers arriving from China following the outbreak of an infection caused by a new strain of virus there, CIAL sources said.

Special health counters have been opened near the immigration desk to brief passengers coming from suspected areas about the health issues and precautionary measures to be followed, the spokesperson said. "All touchpoints sanitized. Special masks and gloves distributed to all officials deployed at the international arrival area," he said in a release here.

With the help of Kochi Medical college, an isolation ward has been opened in the hospital there. Special transportation arrangements, including a sterilized ambulance, have been made ready to transport passengers with suspected infection to the medical college, the spokesman said.

The coronavirus (CoV) is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but the virus that has killed people in China is a novel strain not seen before.

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