Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 4: Passengers arriving from international countries are being mandatorily screened at Bengaluru and Mangaluru international airports, to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

Addressing queries at the Legislative Council, medical education minister K Sudhakar said that the quarantine period of suspected patients has been extended from 14 to 28 days. So far more than 60,000 international travellers have been screened and all necessary protocols are in place to quarantine COVID-19 suspected cases, he said.

The minister added that there is enough supply of masks, which can last for a period of six months. Anti-viral medicines have also been stocked.

When the members urged the minister to set up labs and hospitals at the district levels to quarantine suspected patients, the minister said that government cannot set up labs in district centres due to technical reasons.

However, more than 50 government and private hospitals are equipped to quarantine and treat suspected patients. The chief secretary has held a meeting with the defence officials in Bengaluru for arrangements at Army, Navy and Air Force hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, he said.

Currently, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases is certified to test for coronavirus. Another testing lab may be set up at NIMHANS.

The minister has issued an advisory asking people to avoid mass gatherings as per experts' recommendations. He also asked people to follow PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's example of not celebrating Holi in a group.