Human transmission confirmed, arrivals from China under lens
NEWDELHI: Officials in China confirmed on Monday that humans can be infected by other humans with the new, fast-spreading virus that has triggered alarm bells across the world, including in India where officials have now begun a sweeping identification of people who are or may be flying in from any Chinese city.
According to officials in Beijing, 14 medical staff have been infected by the previously unseen coronavirus, the number of patients has more than trebled, and new infections have been reported from more Chinese cities – confirming fears that the virus is highly contagious.
In India, health ministry officials reached out to the embassy in China and to immigration officials for details of inbound travellers from the affected regions, including foreigners as well as Indian citizens. Among them are at least 500 Indians studying in medical colleges in Wuhan, the ground zero for the outbreak.
“There are apparently close to 500 students in different medical colleges; we have asked the officials there to send us the list. Immigration has also been alerted here; anyone coming from China will be screened irrespective of the reason of travel,” said a senior health ministry official, asking not to be named.
According to the official, people arriving from China are being subjected to thermal screening at seven airports that have inbound connections to Chinese cities.