China is racing against time to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus which has killed 81 people in China and infected around 2,876 persons globally with 41 overseas cases. Amidst this mounting crisis, the Embassy of India is in talks with China for the evacuation of Indians in Wuhan. Prasar Bharati Special Correspondent in Beijing reports that the Indian Embassy has been urging the Indians in Wuhan to provide all their details so that all the formalities with Chinese authorities may be completed. This is a basic requirement for any eventual evacuation.
Hubei has suspended the services for the application of ordinary passports and exit-entry permits for Chinese persons. However, Special channels will be opened for individuals who have to leave the mainland for urgent reasons, the National Immigration Administration of China said in a release today. On the question of shortage of essential supplies in Wuhan, Party Secretary Ma Guoqiang said today that Wuhan residents have sufficient daily necessities supply including meat, eggs, vegetables. Wuhan Government has allocated 6,000 taxis, car-hailing services to make sure each community has on average three vehicles for urgent trips.
Yang Yuyan, Deputy Governor of Hubei Province informed the media that all medical expenses incurred by patients infected by the virus will be covered by local governments. He added that as of today, in total 26 medical teams including 3,100 doctors and health care staff have started treatment work in Hubei and four other medical teams involving over 300 people are on the way.
Meanwhile, World Health Organization Chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is expected to arrive in Beijing to take stock of the situation and to understand and support the efforts done by the Chinese Government for the Coronavirus response. He said in a tweet that WHO has activated global networks of experts and is trying to activate the response system in various affected countries. Chinese scientists are trying to develop a vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has isolated the virus and is currently identifying a seed strain. Researchers are also screening drugs targeting pneumonia.
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