Coronavirus: Agra Hotels, Tourists Sites Asked to Report Arrival of Visitors from Italy, Iran, China

Lucknow: Hotels and tourists sites in Agra have been instructed to inform the office of the Chief Medical Officer as soon as visitors from Italy, Iran or China arrive, so that they can be screened for coronavirus infection, an official said on Tuesday.

As soon as any information is received, a team of doctors will be dispatched to examine the visitors for symptoms of COVID-19, Chief Medical Officer of Agra Dr Mukesh Vats said.

"We have issued instructions to all hotels in the city that if any person is coming from Italy, Iran or China, they should inform us. As soon as the hotel informs us, a team of doctors goes to the hotel, and examines them for symptoms of coronavirus. All the tourists sites have been told to inform the 24-hour control about visitors from countries where coronavirus outbreak has been reported," Vats said.

Asked whether symptoms of coronavirus have been found in any visitor in Agra, he said, "The group of 19 tourists who had come from Jaipur were staying in Crystal Sarovar, and had arrived day before yesterday (Sunday) at 2.00 pm. Next (Monday) morning at around 8.00 am, they left for Delhi."

"After this, another batch of 18-19 tourists were staying at the Taj Convention Hotel. They have been tested and have not been found symptomatic. The history of the tourists was scanned, and symptoms searched. All of them are normal. The second batch was tested yesterday in the afternoon," Vats said.

The Uttar Pradesh government had on January 27 directed officials to set up 10-bed isolation wards in every district hospital and medical college of the state as a precautionary measure to deal with any suspected case of coronavirus.

The directive came during a review meeting of the Health Department chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The CM directed that special vigil be maintained at airports and on the Indo-Nepal border. He further instructed Health Department officials to take necessary steps in coordination with the Union Health Ministry.

Directions were also issued to spread awareness about the virus and precautionary steps.