Health Ministry on coronavirus: ‘Vaccines will take 1.5 to 2 years to develop’

All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after February 15 will be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. (File Photo)

🔺 So far, 73 positive Coronavirus cases have been reported in India and the Indian government has evacuated at least 900 Indians from other countries. “The Government of India has evacuated 900 Indian citizens along with 48 belonging to other nations like Maldives, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, US, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa, and Peru,” Luv Aggarwal said.

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🔺 While the government has already flown two planes to China — where Covid-19 first broke out, one was flown to Iran and three more planes will be sent to bring back Indians stranded there.

Indian women wear masks and walk inside Government Medical College hospital in Jammu. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

🔺 In an unprecedented decision, the government has suspended all visas, barring select categories till April 15, effectively closing its borders for a month. “Visa-free travel facility granted to Overseas Citizen Of India (OCI) cardholders are kept in abeyance till April 15, 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on March 13, 2020, at the port of departure,” Aggarwal said.

🔺 The Health Ministry said maintaining effective social distance was more important than wearing masks to combat the spread of the infection. “Mask is not always necessary, if a person maintains effective social distance, mask is not needed. There is no need to panic,” Aggarwal said at the press conference.

🔺 Apart from the National Institue of Virology, where Coronavirus samples are being tested for final confirmation, the Health Ministry joint secretary said 52 other facilities have been set up across the country. “There are a total of 56 sample collection centres,” he said.

🔺 While the government had earlier this week confirmed “some cases of community transmission,” the health ministry, however, dismissed the reports. “Right now, luckily for India, we do not have any community transmission. We have only a few cases that have come from outside and they have primarily affected their close family members,” the Health Ministry official said.