Coronavirus: 3,756 air passengers screened in Mumbai in 9 days

As many as 3,756 passengers arriving from China were screened for the coronavirus at the international airport here since January 18, but no confirmed case of the deadly disease has been found so far in Mumbai, a health department official said on Monday. Of these, five passengers complained of cough and fever, symptoms found in coronavirus patients, and their blood samples were sent for examination to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV), he said.

Samples of three of them were found to be negative for the virus, while the report of the two others is expected on Tuesday, said the official from the Maharashtra government's health department. Between January 18 and 26, 3,756 passengers arriving from China, from where the coronavirus outbreak has been reported, were subjected to thermal screening at the international airport, he said.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in China, a high-level meeting was held here on Monday to review preparations to deal with any situation, the official said. Chaired by Pradeep Vyas, principal secretary, public health department, the meeting was attended by senior health officials as well as NIV representatives.

"The government will prepare a list of passengers who have returned to Mumbai from China since January 1 this year and will enquire about their health condition. "Details of discussion at the meeting were shared with officials of the Centre who are coordinating at the national level," the official said.