80 people suspected of Coronavirus under medical observation in Kerala

In the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus in China, India has taken several steps as a precautionary measure, though no positive case of the virus has been reported in India. 

In Kerala, seven people have been hospitalised due to fever and other reasons and 73 others, who returned from China, have been put on surveillance. In Mumbai, two people have been hospitalised and one person is also under medical observation in Hyderabad. Nearly 20,000 people have returned from China and Hong Kong have undergone thermal screening at seven airports in India. 

The Ministry of Health said that according to ICMR-NIV Pune, four samples (2 from Mumbai, 1each from Bengaluru and Hyderabad) have tested negative for the virus. A Mumbai patient has tested positive for Rhinovirus, one of the routine common cold virus. "ICMR-NIV Pune has informed that 4 samples (2 from Mumbai, 1each from B'luru & Hy'bad) have tested NEGATIVE for nCoV. One of Mumbai patients has tested positive for Rhinovirus, one of the routine common cold virus," tweeted Ministry of Health.

China ramped up measures to contain a virus that has killed 26 people and infected more than 800, suspending public transport in 10 cities, shutting temples over the Lunar New Year and even closing the Forbidden City and part of the Great Wall.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the new coronavirus an emergency for China but stopped short of declaring the epidemic of international concern. While most of the cases and all of the deaths have been in China, the virus has been detected in Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States. It was highly likely Britain also had cases, a health official said.