Two passengers put in quarantine for suspected coronavirus at Kolkata airport

Kolkata, February 13

Two passengers, who arrived at Kolkata international airport from Bangkok, have been placed in isolation for suspected novel coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

A passenger named Himadri Barman was quarantined on Tuesday, and Nagendra Singh on Wednesday, government officials said in New Delhi. 

Both passengers were sent to Beliaghata ID Hospital, a Kolkata airport official said.

Earlier, a passenger named Anita Oraon had also showed signs of fever during thermal scanning, Kolkata airport director Kaushik Bhattacharjee said.

Already two airlines which had direct flights between Kolkata and China have suspended their flights.

Low-cost carrier IndiGo has temporarily suspended its flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou from February 6.

“In line with the WHO guideline to contain the spread of coronavirus, IndiGo will be suspending its Kolkata-Guangzhou service from February 6, 2020 to February 25, 2020 and Guangzhou-Kolkata from February 7 till February 26,” the airline had said in a statement.

After IndiGo, China Eastern Airlines suspended its flights between Kolkata and Kunming in China from February 10 to February 29.

Passengers of flights coming to Kolkata from Kunming and Guangzhou in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok were being screened since January 17.

At present, passengers arriving from Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok are being screened as no flights are operating to and from China.

Delhi

A passenger on board a SpiceJet Bangkok-Delhi flight was quarantined after he was suspected of having contracted the novel coronavirus, the airline said in a statement.

The passenger was quarantined by the Airport Health Organisation after the plane landed at Delhi airport, it said.

"On February 13, 2020, a passenger travelling on SpiceJet flight SG-88 operating between Bangkok and Delhi was suspected of Coronavirus infection," the SpiceJet spokesperson said.

"He was seated on seat no. 31F and was the only passenger in that row. The said passenger was quarantined by Airport Health Organisation (APHO) after landing in Delhi," he added.

More than 1,300 people have died in China till date due to the virus.

3 people who tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala now stable: Health Minister     

Three people who tested positive for novel coronavirus in Kerala are now stable, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday.

The 645 Indians evacuated from the coronavirus-hit Wuhan city have all tested negative for the virus and discharge guidelines are being issued, he said.

People at 21 airports are being screened for coronavirus, he told a press conference.

"All the states have been informed about the guidelines and precautionary measures to be taken," Vardhan said. — PTI

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