Doctors team stationed at city airport after coronavirous alert

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 27

A team of doctors has been stationed for coronavirus for international passengers arriving at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport. Besides, a thermal scanner to check the body temperature of the passengers has also been installed. Efforts are under way to implement similar measures at the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post.

Though there is no direct flight from China to Amritsar, the possibility of passengers arriving indirectly from there cannot be ruled out. For instance, the city has air connectivity with Singapore which has flights from China.

After holding a meeting with heads of various departments at the airport, including airport, health and district administration, Deputy Commissioner Shivdular Singh Dhillon said: “We do not have any direct flight from China. That does not mean that we should be complacent.” All efforts will be made to check the temperature of passengers. Suspected passengers will be isolated.”

He said as per the directions of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Union Government, they had taken this precautionary measure. Dhillon said so far a single suspected case of coronavirus had been reported, which was found negative as per the report of a national laboratory in Pune.

He directed officials of the Health Department posted at the airport to send the report daily to his office. An ambulance was also stationed at the airport.

Airport officials, led by local airport Director Manoj Chansoria, Deepak Bhatia, SDM (Ajnala), Dr Prabhdeep Kaur Johal, Civil Surgeon, Dr Vinay of the Amritsar Airport Authority, among others, were present.