How Coronavirus detection steps are carried out

Every passenger, including those without symptoms from affected countries, also have to fill up a form with their contact details before landing.

The process to detect suspected coronavirus patients begins on flights from high-risk countries such as China, Hong Kong and Thailand. In-flight announcements direct passengers with symptoms of fever, sore throat and cough to report to health desks at the airport or the immigration department.

The process to detect suspected coronavirus patients begins on flights from high-risk countries such as China, Hong Kong and Thailand. (HT Photo)

Every passenger, including those without symptoms from affected countries, also have to fill up a form with their contact details before landing. After landing, the passengers from high-risk countries are physically examined and scanned through thermal scanners. Those with symptoms suggesting infection are taken to a designated isolation facilities.

Since some without symptoms could still have the virus, all passengers are asked to stay under home quarantine for at least two weeks . Contact details collected by the airport authorities are sent to the state government and Union health ministry’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme unit in every state, where a district official visits or calls each one of the them to ensure they are tested.

“The officer follows all precautions and wears a three-layered mask and gloves when visiting a suspected case; he also distributes masks and pamphlets to generate awareness about the disease. Personal visits are especially made to high-risk people, such as those with a travel history and having developed symptoms, close contact with a positive person or travel history from Wuhan, for moving them to a hospital if required,” a scientist from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said.