Coronavirus outbreak: Cachar administration opens screening centre at Silchar Airport

In view of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak in China and its possibility to spread across the globe, the Director of Health Service, Cachar, on Tuesday opened a screening counter at Silchar airport along with deputing a team of Doctors and paramedics to screen and detect ‘if any’ case of coronavirus affected passengers.

It can be mentioned here that, Airport Authority of India with the help of the concerned state government, has set up screening and testing counters in most of the North-eastern airports that include Guwahati, Aizawl, Imphal & Agartala airports. Guwahati being the only International airport in Northeast, special screening and testing machine has been functioning since last week.

In a telephonic conversation with Barak Bulletin, Joint Director of Health Service, Dr. SudipJyoti Das confirmed the happening and said more details will be informed soon by holding a press conference. “Yes we have started the screening at Silchar Airport from today onwards. We have called a press conference tomorrow and all details will be shared thereby” Das said.

“Screening counter has been opened by Director of Health Service as per instruction from MoHFW. All arriving passengers are being screened and no positive case has been reported yet. Ambulance has been provided by AAI to transport suspected patients immediately to SMC” an airport authority source informed, when contacted.

The virus originated in China’s Wuhan in December and has since then spread to various parts of the world. Indian Government evacuated all its nationals who were stranded in Wuhan, the epicenter of coronavirus epidemic, on Sunday with around 650 people brought back in two phases. Union health ministry advisories have asked people to refrain from travelling to China and said that travelers who return from that country could be quarantined.