After being quarantined in government-run health camps, 406 of the Indian nationals who were airlifted out of Wuhan in China are being sent home. On February 6, all the 645 Indians who were airlifted from Wuhan were reported to have tested negative for the virus. The individuals had been placed under observation in one of two health camps set up at Army Base and ITBP. The individuals who are being sent home were placed in the ITBP camp.
Health Minister @drharshvardhan interacts with several citizens at ITBP Chawla Camp today, who have been found negative for #COVID19 and are ready to go home, in phases. They were evacuated from #Wuhan in China on 1st & 2nd Feb.#SwasthaBharat#nCoV2019 pic.twitter.com/9uEklcC1ZA
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) February 17, 2020
A set of guidelines has been issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) for the individuals and their families to follow on returning home. As per orders of the department, for the next 14 days, the individuals who have returned from the camps and their family members must remain vigilant for the onset of any symptoms.
“In case you develop fever, cough, cold or difficulty breathing anytime after leaving the quarantine Centre (within the next 14 days): Call the nearest health facility or health worker visiting you,” reads the statement issued by the Health department officials.
Three cases of coronavirus disease have been confirmed in India till now and all three have been from the state of Kerala. The three individuals have now recovered and have been sent back home after treatment. Their repeated tests returned negative for the virus.
The novel coronavirus which has been responsible for the recent outbreak was first identified from Wuhan in Hubei province of China. Since December 2019, it has infected over 60,000 people globally and has caused over 1500 deaths. The coronavirus disease or covid19 is said to belong to the same family of viruses which caused the 2003 SARS outbreak and the MERS outbreak seen in 2012. While no vaccine or cure has been found so far for coronavirus, the use of antiretroviral drugs has shown promising results in several patients.