COVID-19: Arunachal screens passengers at Naharlagun railway station, helipad

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: As many as 230 passengers and railway staff were screened at Naharlagun railway station on Saturday by a team of doctors on possible infection of COVID-19.

The passengers coming from New Delhi by the Arunachal Express train were screened by using a non-contact infrared thermometer for temperature monitoring, senior health officials informed.

“It was found that no one had a fever and their body temperatures were found normal and all were allowed to enter the state,” State Surveillance Officer of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) Dr. L Jampa informed in a statement.

He added that similar surveillance and screening for passenger have been taken at Naharlagun Helipad where a total of 24 passengers and crew members were screened.

“All the passengers coming from Guwahati by chopper were found to be afebrile (having normal temperature recording) and were allowed to enter the state. IEC leaflets were also distributed to the passengers and others on precautionary measures against the virus infection,” Dr. Jampa said.

Dr. Jampa added that PPE, Gloves, 3-layer Surgical Mask, N-95 Mask, VTM and IEC Materials (Posters and leaflets) were issued in sufficient quantity to the districts for taking preventive measures.

The State Health department has already taken adequate measures to stop the spread of the disease to the Himalayan state that shares a border with China, Myanmar, and Bhutan.

Arunachal Pradesh has decided to temporarily stop issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners in an attempt to prevent the epidemic from reaching its borders. PAPs are issued to foreigners to enter the state.

While there has been no positive case detected in the state yet, the ban has been issued as a precautionary measure.

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