Coronavirus update from Kerala: 3 persons who tested positive now stable, Dr Harsh Vardhan

Bengaluru: One of the three medical students, who had tested positive for novel coronavirus infection and were treated at a hospital in Kerala, has been discharged after recovery, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday.

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About the other two, he said subsequent tests indicated significant reduction in "viral load".

"We are still waiting for confirmatory results before discharging them. They are stable and recovering and will be discharged soon," Vardhan said.

A high-level Group of Ministers, constituted on the directions of the prime minister, held its second meeting to review the current status and actions for prevention and management of the novel coronavirus, named COVID-19.

At a press briefing, Vardhan said a total of 2,51,447 persons travelling in 2,315 flights have been screened so far.

Besides, 15,991 people across the country have been kept on community surveillance. Of them, 497 have been identified as symptomatic cases and isolated while 41 have been hospitalised, Vardhan said.

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The minister said India had evacuated 645 people, including seven Maldivians from China's Wuhan city and quarantined them in two special camps. They will be kept under observation for a period of two weeks and discharged after they test negative for the virus.

India has extended support to Maldives in testing samples and Bhutan in managing COVID-19. India has also agreed to support Afghanistan in testing samples. India is also extending help to China by sending essential items for combating COVID 2019 as per a commitment made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Passengers arriving from Thailand and Singapore, besides China and Hong Kong, are being screened for possible exposure to the virus at 21 identified airports. Screening is also being done at major seaports and border crossings.

The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose to 1,310 China on Thursday while the number of those affected by the deadly virus has spiralled to 48,206.