GUWAHATI: The coronavirus scare has made Nagaland government to keep 42 people, who had arrived in the state in recent past from China and other countries, under observation.
However, officials in the state said there was no confirmed case of the virus’s infection in the state as of now.
Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom said all the 42 people, seven of whom have been kept in isolation at their homes, were being monitored twice a day as per standard protocol.
He informed the Assembly that the department had operationalized a public health emergency operations centre and the reports of day-to-day monitoring were being shared with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He said the district surveillance units and rapid response teams had been kept on a high alert.
The minister said passengers landing at the Dimapur airport were being screened every day since January 30. However, Leader of Opposition TR Zeliang of the Naga People’s Front insisted that people entering the state by road from China via Myanmar and Manipur and others coming from different parts of India by road and train should also be screened.
Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh share their border with Myanmar. Arunachal also shares a long border with China. Two days ago, Manipur had banned the import of packaged food items that are made in China, Myanmar and other South-East Asian countries and do not conform to the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017.