With 42 people testing negative for coronavirus and reports of nine awaited, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday urged people to stay away from crowded places.
So far, no confirmed case of coronavirus has been reported in the state.
Reviewing the arrangements to contain the spread of the infection, the CM directed the Health Department to keep tabs on the situation triggered by the global spread of the virus, a state government release said here.
The CM, who has decided to personally monitor the situation on a day-to-day basis, has appealed to people to keep away from congested and crowded places as a preventive measure, said the release.
Health and Family Welfare minister Balbir Singh Sidhu told the CM that at present, there were a total 5,795 persons in Punjab with travel history to virus-hit countries.
A Punjab health official said test reports of nine suspected coronavirus patients were awaited while 42 persons had tested negative so far.
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As per information available, 70,106 passengers have been screened at the Amritsar and Mohali airports, Attari-Wagah border and the Dera Baba Nanak check-post.
A control room has been established in each district with rapid response teams to maintain a round-the-clock vigil.
These are in addition to the state-level control room (88720-90029/0171-2920074) to respond to any complaint/crisis.
Presiding over the meeting, the CM asked the principal secretary (Health) to immediately issue an advisory to educate people about the symptoms and precautions to be taken in view of the virus threat.
Amarinder Singh also asked the chief secretary to direct deputy commissioners to instruct the field staff in their respective areas to assist the Health Department in its mass awareness campaign.
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