Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Feb 4: In view of the seriousness of health hazard threat posed by fast-spreading Coronavirus in China, the department of health, Mangaluru International Airport (MIA), has set up screening and testing counters for international passengers.
Speaking to Daijiworld, a top Airports Authority of India official in MIA said, “Following the standard operating procedure (SOP) received from the central government Airport Authority of India (AAI) with the help of the concerned state governments, has made arrangements for the special screening for international passengers arriving here. "In Mangaluru International Airport, we have assigned our health unit comprising doctors and assistants for special screening of passengers. They not only screen the passengers, but also create awareness on Coronavirus and provide them precautionary tips.
“No case of Coronavirus suspect has been detected in Mangaluru airport so far. There is no reason to be panicky. None should hide any kind of symptoms. Airlines have been making announcements before landing so that the doubtful or suspect passengers could be able to get screened and tested,” he added.
“I arrived this morning from Thailand via Bengaluru. Immediately thereafter, at the immigration, a team of doctors met me and requested me to undergo medical checkup. Before that they informed me about Coronavirus which is spreading rapidly in China. After screening I got negative result and hence walked out freely. It was a friendly atmosphere and I liked the way the doctors who approached the international passengers for screening behaved,” said Arun Gonsalves, who arrived here today morning.
In a press meet yesterday, Sajith Babu, district collector of the neighboring Kasaragod district informed that a Kasargod-based student of Wuhan University has been detected to have been infected by the virus. Eighty people are being monitored in Kasargod, he added. "Blood samples of five of them have been sent to Pune laboratory. The virus was found in one of them. The laboratory report of the remaining four is awaited and we expect to receive them wit in two days," he added.