Panaji, March 18: The Goa government on Wednesday decided to start stamping the hands of the passengers arriving at the Dabolim airport if they are advised to undergo home quarantine for coronavirus in order to prevent them from mingling in public. Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane told this to reporters here on Wednesday. Goa Health Ministry Launches Bot 'Cobot-19' to Fight Fake News and Miscommunication After Minister Vishwajit Rane's COVID-19 Fiasco.

The government in neighbouring Maharashtra has already launched this activity in view of the coronavirus pandemic. "Stamping of passengers arriving at Dabolim airport will start from 2 am on Thursday. It will be on the lines of Maharashtra," he said. As per protocol, people arriving from coronavirus- affected regions are being put under home quarantine as a precautionary measure while their samples are sent for test.

According to Rane, six persons have been quarantined at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Panaji for suspected exposure to coronavirus. "We are trying to ensure that everyone, including the domestic travellers, are screened at the airport," he said.

The Goa government has also asked its officers and ministers not to travel outside the state as long as restrictions are in place, he added. According to Rane, the government has also suspended the visiting hours at the hospitals in the state, including at the GMCH.

"Only one attendant per patient is allowed to be present at the hospital," he said. Rane said that isolation wards will be created at private hospitals in the coming days. The minister said that the state legal metrology department and the health department will initiate a drive to take action against those selling masks at exorbitant rates.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)