Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 5 (IANS): Kerala health authorities will now be assisted by the state police to identify people arriving from China and other areas where the presence of coronavirus has been reported, and bring them for medical checkups.

The coronavirus outbreak has now been declared as a state calamity and authorities have now realised that it would be better to involve the police also in their work to contain the spread as prescribed under WHO guidelines.

According to the health authorities the total number of people who are under observation has crossed 2,500 in various parts of the state. Of the 190 samples that have been sent tor testing, results of 90 are awaited.

The condition of three who tested positive is stable and in the past 24 hours there has been no new positive case reported.

On Wednesday, Kerala Police chief Loknath Behera informed that the police will now help the health authorities in identifying all people who have arrived from China and such countries where coronavirus has turned positive.

This new guideline has come after reports surfaced that two people who arrived from China and were under observation, slipped out of the country without informing health authorities and flew to Saudi Arabia.

In a related development, according to the State Disaster Management Authority officials, Chinese universities where a good number of Kerala students are studying have started issuing notices to the students who are now on vacation to return for classes.

"We will take up this issue with the government," said an official.