Coronavirus update: Health Ministry to hold high-level meeting to review preparedness

The Ministry of Health will hold a high-level meeting on Wednesday to review the preparedness to combat the coronavirus outbreak. The meeting will be chaired by Minister of Health Dr Harsh Vardhan. Directors of AIIMS, Lady Harding Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia will be present at the meetings.

Chairman of New Delhi Municipal Corporation and commissioner of three civic bodies including South Delhi Municipal Corporation, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation will also attend the meeting.

In the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, where six suspected cases were detected on Tuesday, Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh chaired a meeting with the top officials to review the state's preparedness. A 23-member response committee was formed to deal with the threat of coronavirus.

Also read: Coronavirus impact: Delhi patient visited family in Agra; 6 members quarantined

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to Twitter to calm down the rising panic among Indians over coronavirus. "Had an extensive review regarding preparedness on the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Different ministries and states are working together, from screening people arriving in India to providing prompt medical attention," he said on the micro-blogging platform.

"There is no need to panic. We need to work together, take small yet important measures to ensure self-protection," he mentioned on Twitter along with a ministry advisory on basic protective measures.

There is no need to panic. We need to work together, take small yet important measures to ensure self-protection. pic.twitter.com/sRRPQlMdtr

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 3, 2020

Also read: Hyatt Regency in Delhi warns coronavirus patient dined at restaurant

On Tuesday, two schools in Noida were shut down over fears of coronavirus. Both the schools underwent sanitisation processes. Hyatt Regency in Delhi also asked its staff to self-quarantine for 14 days after they discovered that the Delhi coronavirus patient had dined at their La Piazza restaurant. Moreover, the patient had met his family members in Agra, following which six of these family members with "high viral load" were quarantined in Safdarjung Hospital.

Moreover, Air India has asked the crew of the flight the Delhi patient had taken to self-quarantine for 14 days. The airline had also informed the fellow passengers on the flight and asked them to follow the necessary protocols.

Also read: Delhi coronavirus patient attended birthday party; many children present

Also read: Coronavirus update: Noida school to remain shut till March 9 as panic spreads