New Delhi: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Saturday reviewed India's preparedness to deal with the deadly coronavirus which has spread to several countries from China.
At a meeting chaired by P K Mishra, principal secretary to the prime minister, Health Ministry officials presented an update about the response measures being undertaken to stop the contagion from entering India, official sources said.
The meeting was held on the instructions of prime minister Narendra Modi.
The meeting was attended by the cabinet secretary and the secretaries of home, foreign affairs, defence, health, civil aviation and several other top officials.
Health Ministry officials briefed Mishra on the preparedness of hospitals and laboratories as well as measures being taken for the capacity building of rapid response teams to deal with the coronavirus.
The principal secretary also reviewed the various preventive measures taken by other ministries like the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The officials assured Mishra that the situation was being closely monitored by the Ministry of Health in coordination with various other union ministries as well as state governments and union territories.
So far, 20,000 people from 115 flights at seven international airports in the country have been screened.
Sources said the National Institute of Virology labs are fully equipped to test the virus and that all state and district health authorities have been alerted.
