All passengers arriving in Mumbai from China will have to undergo thermal screening as a precautionary measure with immediate effect. The Mumbai International Airport Limted (MIAL) said the decision was taken in the wake of a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan city, in China’s Hubei province.
A MIAL spokesperson said, “All passengers travelling from China to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), will have to undergo a thermal screening as a matter of precaution.” CSMIA has two airlines — Air China and Rwand Air — catering to passengers travelling to and from China.
Health counter opened
The Airport Health Organisation (APHO) team in Mumbai has activated a health counter and thermal scanners at the pre-immigration area for the passengers.
The airport has expanded its passenger safety measures in compliance with the latest directive issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) in case if a traveller is detected with the symptom.
The spokesperson said, “The concerned passenger will be shifted to the isolation hospital earmarked for CSMIA on advice of the APHO team. The airport will share a daily report with the ministry on the scanning of passengers.” APHO officials said as reported by the Chinese authorities, this is a new type of coronavirus and is different from all other human coronaviruses.
In an advisory to passengers, MIAL said the WHO had reported symptoms such as fever, difficulty in breathing and chest radiographs showing bilateral lung infiltrates as the cause of the pneumonia.
MIAL in a statement said to reduce the risk of acute respiratory infections while travelling in or from affected areas, passengers should avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections; frequently wash their hands, especially after coming into direct contact with ill people or their environment; and avoid contact with live or dead farm or wild animals.
Travellers with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practise cough etiquette: maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands.
