State free from coronavirus
SHILLONG: The state government has no plan to call back those students from the state who are studying in China following the breakout of corona virus in the neighbouring country.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Thursday, Director of Health Services (MCH& FW) , Dr. L M Pdah said that the state government so far has not issued any such directive even as he added that he is not in a position to comment if the Centre will take a decision to call back all the Indian students studying there.
Reiterating that no cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state as of now, he added that the department has issued instructions that anybody coming from China should make a self-declaration so that the government can follow up on them besides advising and observing them.
“They can call 108 emergency number and we will follow up the matter,” he said.
Pointing out that the state government is ready for any eventuality, Pdah said that the government has already identified the places and beds in the hospital where patients infected with the virus will be kept if any positive case comes up in the state.
“ People should not panic as there is no case of the virus in Meghalaya and we only request people coming from China to inform us so that we can take care of them,” he added.
India on Thursday reported its first case of virus in Kerala. The patient, a student of Wuhan University, is stable and in isolation at a hospital, a statement from the Health Ministry said.
So far, more than 170 people have died in China following the breakout of the deadly virus.
The state government has also sounded an alert in Umroi and Guwahati airports in view of the situation.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the government said that in view of the increased incidence of nCoV cases in China and other affected countries of the world, there is likelihood that students studying there will be returning in the near future and hence, all the parents of those children and travellers to and from China and other affected countries are to notify within 24 hours Meghalaya GVK EMRI helpline number 108 so that precautionary measures can be taken.
The government further advised them to give a self-declaration of their travel and exposure in the protocol which would either be read out or provided to them when they arrive at the airports at Guwahati and Umroi.