Jammu, March 4: Amid mounting concerns over the world-wide spread of coronavirus, the J&K Government today made 100 per cent declaration by incoming air passengers mandatory in the newly-created UT.
The administration has asked officials and the Police Department to put in place check-points by deploying teams of doctors at railway stations, airports, bus-stands and entry points to J&K (Lakhanpur) and Lower Munda for the screening of passengers for the virus.
J&K Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, along with senior officials of the administration and the Health Department, who attended a video-conference meeting, also briefed the Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba about their preparedness to deal with evolving situation of coronavirus.
Gauba held a video-conference with Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of states and UTs to review their preparedness to deal with the threat.
J&K Chief Secretary also convened a meeting with the Divisional Administration, J&K, to assess the precautionary measures being initiated to prevent the spread of the virus.
“The need of the hour is to educate people about symptoms and precautionary measures regarding this virus. Officials concerned will check whether any passenger is travelling here from coronavirus-affected countries,” he said.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. In order to identify any suspect, Jammu and Kashmir is in a state of full alert and surveillance for the virus has been increased. Around 201 people have been identified with the history of travel to affected countries or those who have had contact with persons from such countries. A total of 21 persons have been tested so far, but no positive case has been detected across the Union Territory,” Rohit Kansal, government spokesperson, told reporters here late Tuesday evening.
A delegation of senior BJP leaders from Ladakh led by Lok Sabha member Jamyang Tsering Namgyal called on Union Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi for early evacuation of Ziarat pilgrims belongings to Kargil and Leh districts of Ladakh.
