Delayed restriction spurts virus cases

Aditi Tandon

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 4

Free of new novel coronavirus cases until three days ago, India has seen 26 confirmed cases since March 2, posing major containment challenges for the Central and state governments.

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Since Covid 19 outbreak in China’s Wuhan on December 31, 2019, India confirmed its first positive case, a Kerala student from Wuhan, on January 30 and two more Kerala students from China in early February. All three were isolated, quarantined for 14 days, managed and sent home after being declared infection free in mid February. They remain under watch for relapse.

On March 2, India saw the first positive case in Delhi – a man who returned from Italy and another, a student in Hyderabad who returned from Dubai. Yesterday, an Italian tourist in Jaipur was tested positive and today all of his 15 Italian contacts and one Indian contact, a driver, tested positive.

As of now, of the 29 positive cases in India, 16 are Italian nationals which makes up over 57 per cent of the current caseload in India.

The spike is attributable to delay by India in placing travel and screening restrictions on Europe, especially Italy which has remained the worst Covid affected nation in the European Union for days.

Passenger screening from Italy (and Iran) was ordered only on March 2 and infected Italian tourists have been in Jaipur since February 21.

They would have come in contact with several Indians during their stay here.

Outside mainland China, Italy has now overtaken Iran with the most deaths from Covid 19.

14 Italians isolated

New Delhi: Fourteen of the 16 Italian tourists in India who have tested positive for Covid have been isolated at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. Medanta spokesperson said it was done on the request of the government. Meanwhile, the government has issued an advisory to schools across the country asking them to avoid large gatherings of students during the day and monitor the travel history of staffers and students. “Teachers should be alert to any child with symptoms of fever, cough, etc.,” the advisory said. TNS