Coronavirus: Over 370 who travelled abroad since Jan 15 put on surveillance in Noida, none positive yet

Noida: As many as 373 people who have travelled abroad since January 15 have been kept under surveillance so far as possible carriers of coronavirus in Gautam Buddh Nagar, officials said on Wednesday.

The instructions to put such people who have travelled abroad had come from the Ministry of Health, Uttar Pradesh in mid-January itself, the officials said.

Noida, adjoining Delhi, was caught in panic after samples of six people, including three children, were sent for coronavirus test on Tuesday, four days after they came in contact with a Delhi-based man who has tested positive for COVID 19.

All six samples have tested negative, district administration and health officials said on Wednesday.

"Till Tuesday evening, 373 people who have travelled abroad after January 15 have been put on surveillance. Of them, 55 people have been tested for the virus. 49 of them, including the six from yesterday, have tested negative.

Results of the remaining six are awaited," Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargava told PTI.

"Seventy-four people at present are under surveillance, while five were cross-referred, meaning they were not from Gautam Buddh Nagar," the CMO added.

The Gautam Buddh Nagar Health Department on Tuesday said specialised tests for COVID 19 were available for free of cost at two hospitals, one in Greater Noida and another in Noida.

The Noida administration on Tuesday launched two helplines -- 8076623612 and 6396776904 -- for people with any queries on coronavirus.

Bhargava said there were adequate medical facilities available with isolation wards at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida and the Super-speciality Paediatric Hospital and Post Graduate Training Institute in Noida.

The GIMS has a dedicated 10-bed facility while the super-speciality hospital has nine beds, he added.