Two foreigners quarantined in Goa after showing flu-like symptoms

A special task force has been set up to tackle positive cases that may emerge. It is headed by the Dean of the Goa medical college.

Two more foreign nationals who arrived in Goa after visiting China have been quarantined at the Goa Medical College and Hospital after developing flu-like symptoms, state health authorities said on Saturday.

All passengers are being screened at Goa International Airport for coronavirus symptoms and history of recent travel to China. (PTI Photo/Representative)

Medical college dean Dr S M Bandekar said the two will be kept under observation until their samples sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune are tested.

“They will be quarantined and the samples which have been sent to Pune are expected in a few days,” Dr Bandekar said.

Prior to this, a Serbian national was quarantined at the special ward set up at the hospital but was later discharged after found to have not contracted the deadly virus.

Passengers at the Goa International Airport are being screened and asked to declare if they have travelled to China recently and if so, they will be further screened for symptoms and quarantined.

A special task force has been set up to tackle positive cases that may emerge. It is headed by the Dean of the medical college.

Coronavirus is a large family of viruses that cause respiratory illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The symptoms reported in patients with nCoV include acute onset of fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing.

Several isolation wards and testing facilities have been created across the country and passengers at the international airports are being screened with special focus on those arriving from China.