Coronavirus: J&K government has made it compulsory for all passengers to self-declare their travel history at Srinagar and Jammu airports. (PTI Photo/Representational Image)

Beefing up surveillance as a precautionary measure to deal with the evolving situation of Coronavirus, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government Tuesday made it mandatory for all passengers arriving at Jammu and Srinagar airports to make self-declaration about their travel history to countries severely affected by COVID-19 virus.

“Hundred per cent self declaration by passengers has begun at Jammu and Srinagar airports in order to trace travellers who have travel history to countries like China, South Korea, Iran, Thailand etc., or have come in contact with people who have come from these countries,” said Principal Secretary Planning and Monitoring Department Rohit Kansal, who also happens to be the spokesperson of UT government. Medical teams have been deployed at both the airports along with other logistical arrangements at the health care facilities, he added.

Apart from this, checkpoints have also been set up at Lakhanpur and Lower Munda to identify people with travel history to these countries, he said.

Pointing out that all the systems are in a state of high alert and back-up facilities are in place to deal with any eventuality in Jammu and Kashmir, Kansal said that nearly 201 individuals have so far been contacted who either had travel history to countries severely affected by Coronavirus or had come in contact with people having travelled to these countries. Of them, 21 cases have been tested and there has been no positive case in the UT so far, he added.

Advisories have also been issued to persons who have travel history to severely affected countries viz China, Japan, Iran or South Asia to report to the nearest health care facility in case of any symptoms. Isolation facilities have been identified in Divisional as well as the District Level and RRTs (Rapid Response Teams) have been nominated to face any eventuality, he said, adding coordinated efforts have been formulated between various Central Agencies and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to combat the spread of the virus.