The Directorate of School Education has issued a notification asking all district inspectors of the schools to take measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus and launch awareness programme among the students. The Calcutta University authorities have also notified a set of advisories for its students in the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus that has so far infected 28 persons in India.

The notification, undersigned by the commissioner of school education Dr Saumitra Mohan, has instructed the district school inspectors to ensure that all heads of primary, junior high, high and higher secondary schools sensitise their students and create awareness among them for the prevention of the viral disease. The heads of the schools have also been urged to share the pamphlets displaying the ways to reduce the risk of coronavirus. The letter and the pamphlet from Union ministry of health and family welfare have been attached to the notification which was issued on 28 February.

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The pamphlet shared by the Union ministry of health and family welfare has outlined several measures and precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. The students and the general public have been asked to avoid travelling outside if they are suffering from fever, cough and cold. They have been told to wash hands frequently with soap and water to prevent infections. If anyone has bouts of cough, cold, fever and difficulty in breathing, he or she has been urged to contact a doctor immediately.

The people have told to cover their mouths and noses with handkerchief or tissue paper when coughing and sneezing. “If you have returned from Wuhan in China after 15 January, then get yourself tested for 2019-nCov. If you have returned from China in the last 15 days or have been in contact with any person affected by a coronavirus, then limit your contact with others and use a separate room for sleeping. If you develop fever, cough and difficulty in breathing within 28 days of return from China, immediately call the helpline number of +91-11-23978046,” the notification said.

Meanwhile, University of Calcutta has issued notification and imposed some restrictions on the international students studying there to prevent the spread of the virus among the students. The university has instructed them to use masks when they are present at the campus. Sources said that Rabindra Bharati University authorities have decided to disallow the students from Sri Lanka, Japan and Bangladesh to travel to their home countries for the time being.

University vice-chancellor Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury today held a meeting on the issue. KMC instructs medical officers to send nCoV updates: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has instructed its medical officers in all its health centres in 144 wards to send immediate reports to the civic body if a patient is diagnosed with symptoms of the Novel Corona Virus. The civic body has instructed medical officers in all it health centres in 144 wards to send immediate reports to the KMC headquarters if any patient is detected with the symptoms of the virus.

The deputy mayor and MMIC health, Mr Atin Ghosh, today said “The state health department has sent instructions asking the civic body to take proper measures in all its centres relating to screening of patients for Corona virus. We have instructed all medical officers to conduct proper tests of patients who are walking into health centres with symptoms of fever or cold and cough.”

“Our health centres in all 144 wards witness at least 20000 patients every day. We have hence asked all the medical officers to remain alert. If any of the patients show symptoms of the Corona virus then the medical officer needs to immediately send the reports to the health officers in the civic body headquarters from where it will be further forwarded to the state health department” said Mr Ghosh.

The deputy mayor added, “Till now, no such positive cases of the virus has been reported to us. Such reports have also not surfaced from the private medical facilities in the city.” Asked to comment on the panic that is quite apparently spreading, he said “One should not spread unnecessary panic. It’s a global outbreak and should be dealt with proper measures. The BJP is trying to politicise this which is condemnable. This is a sign of illiteracy.”

The mayor Firhad Hakim has said, “We will act according to what the state health department instructs us. Citizens must not panic but should take all precautionary measures. We are taking all measures to keep track of patients visiting KMC health centres with fever symptoms.” The Union Health minister, Harsha Vardhan, has confirmed that the total number of Corona Virus cases in India, at present, is 28 since 22 new positive cases have been detected.