Mumbai/New Delhi, January 21: Citing the sudden growth new SARS-like virus -- Novel Corona Virus Disease (nCoV) -- in China and the toll of infected people crossing 291, Union Civil Aviation Ministry on Tuesday directed for all logistics support and arrangements to be made immediately with regard to screening of passengers arriving from China, including Hong Kong, at international airports at Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin. The ministry had directed to make special arrangements at international airports of Mumbai, New Delhi, and Kolkata.

Issuing the circular the Ministry informed through its micro-blogging site, "MoCA has directed for all logistics support & arrangements to be made immediately with regard to screening of passengers arriving from China, including Hong Kong, at Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin in addition to the earlier three airports at Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata." China Says Number of SARS-like Virus Cases Jumps to Nearly 300.

Adding more, it wrote, "These steps have been taken on the basis of advisories received from @MoHFW_INDIA regarding the threat of Novel Corona Virus Disease (nCoV) in Wuhan, Hubei province of China. All passengers and stakeholders are requested to take appropriate precautionary measures in this regard."

Here's the tweets by MoCA:

Earlier on Monday, the Union Health Ministry has sought from the Ministry of External Affairs details of those who have applied for Indian visa since December 31 so that they can be counselled. Apart form this, the MEA has also been requested to disseminate travel advisory to Indian Embassies in China and adjoining countries in local languages for wider circulation and passenger information.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 21, 2020 06:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).