New Delhi/Hyderabad: With over 300 cases of human-to-human transmission of ‘Novel Coronavirus’ (nCoV) reported from Wuhan, China, alone, India has intensified its detection process at airports. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said that thermal screening of passengers arriving from China is now mandatory at seven airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyd-erabad and Cochin. Pass-engers are to fill up a ‘self-reporting form’ before disembarkation and an advisory has been issued to the aviation industry for strict implementation.
Screening had already started at Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata, and now Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin have been added. “MoCA has directed for all logistics support and arrangements to be made immediately with regard to screening of passengers arriving in India from China including Hong Kong at the identified airports,” an official said.
Airlines coming from China will be making in-flight announcements requesting passengers with history of fever and cough and history of travel to Wuhan City in last 14 days, to self-declare at the port of arrival or to the state health authorities.
Thermal screening of passengers will be undertaken at the pre-immigration area through thermal cameras. Airlines staff will bring the passengers to the health counters before the immigration check.
A cause for concern is the passenger who carries the virus but does not exhibit symptoms. The Chinese New Year falls on January 25 and lakhs of Chinese travel to Thailand and Malaysia for the festival season. From India, business travellers, tourists, wedding parties and honeymooners visit Thailand, and they are advised caution, or even better, not to visit this region at this time.
The human to human transfer is evident as cases were reported in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzen, cities that are hundreds of miles away from Wuhan.
“The virus is in the air and it gets transmitted via sneezing, coughing and also the breathing process,” said Professor of Pulmonology and senior chest specialist Subakar Kandi. “One person infected can infect 10 others in a crowded area. This spreads the virus fast. All who have the virus will not develop symptoms. Only those who are immune-compromised will be affected.”
The immune-compromised are those suffering from severe or uncontrolled diabetes, fluctuating blood pressures, heart diseases, respiratory problems, kidney problems, as well as asthmatics, pregnant women, children, those with transplanted organs in their body, and senior citizens.
The case history shows patients had fever, chills, sore throat, severe headache and breathing difficulty. These have then led to lung and multi-organ failure, causing death.
“The chest radiographs of the affected patients in China are showing invasive pneumonic infiltrating both lungs,” said Mustufa Afzal, consultant microbiologist and infectious disease specialist at Care Hospitals.
“It cannot be differentiated from other respiratory infections. This is a cause of concern.”
The mutation of the Corona Virus means that it has taken human DNA and has started attacking the immune system. "These viruses often take the strains from the host body that they are in," said Dr Mohammed Shafi, senior infection specialist. “As in birds, the virus combines in animals and humans to survive. The strain must be isolated to ensure proper medication.”
