Chandigarh, March 6 (IANS): Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Friday said no positive case of coronavirus (COVID-19) has been reported in the state.

A total of 5,814 people with travel history of affected countries properly screened by the Health Department. Nine persons are symptomatic as on Friday and their samples had been sent to the AIIMS in New Delhi.

The Cabinet minister said the situation is being closely watched and being monitored by state and district teams to avoid any outbreak.

He said instructions have been issued to all zonal licensing authorities and drug control officers to ensure that whole sellers as well as retailers don't charge exorbitantly or hold the stocks of some drug formulations, consumables and masks.

They are also directed to conduct meetings with chemist associations of their respective areas to ensure the availability of such products across the state.

Sidhu said if anyone found indulged in black marketing, hoarding of drugs and other products, strict action would be taken against the chemist.

He said the government has sufficient stock of triple layered masks and N95 masks apart from PPE (personal protective equipment) which are used by healthcare staff while managing suspected cases of corona or other such infectious diseases.

He said the state has also procured and provided infra-red thermometers (non contact thermometers) to airport in Mohali, all district hospitals and government medical colleges so that body temperature of the suspected patients could be tested without touching.

He said beds in isolation wards have also been increased from 649 to 823.

To date, 71,900 patients had been screened across the state, of these 48,867 passengers at the Amritsar airport, 5,116 passengers at the airport in Mohali, 5,401 passengers at Wagah and Attari border check post and 12,516 passengers had been screened at the Dera Baba Nanak check post.