With cases of coronavirus in Maharashtra increasing (37 as of March 16), the Telangana government on Monday said that it had set up check posts at four places along the border of the two states, to conduct screening of those entering the state by road.
The Telangana government said that checkposts have been set up at Zahirabad, Dharmabad, Boraj and Sirpur Kaghaznagar.
According to reports, Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender said that arrangements were being made to set up thermal scanners in these areas, to check the body temperature of people. At present, these scanners are only being used at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad.
The District authorities at these checkposts have also been asked to conduct an awareness drive on coronavirus and educate people in rural areas about social distancing and how to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The Kerala government has also set up screening facilities at 24 spots in areas bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, in a major move on Monday, the Telangana government said that it had decided to quarantine all passengers (Indians and foreign nationals) who arrive at RGIA from China, Iran, Italy, Republic of Korea, France, Germany and Spain, immediately after their arrival in Hyderabad.
The passengers who are asymptomatic are being taken to government facilities that have been set up at Telangana State Forest Academy in Dulapally and Haritha Valley View Resorts at Ananthagiri Hills in Vikarabad district, while those with symptoms will be kept in isolation in government hospitals and tested for the coronavirus.
The state reported its fourth positive COVID-19 case after the samples of a person with travel history to Scotland tested positive. He is admitted at the Gandhi Hospital.
In a medical bulletin on Monday night, officials said test results of 22 persons were awaited. As many as 54 passengers voluntarily approached the hospital with suspected symptoms.
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