Health authorities in Kashmir have kept five persons with a recent history of travelling to coronavirus-affected countries in the isolation ward of the SKIMS hospital here after they showed symptoms of the disease, officials said on Thursday.

"We have kept the five persons in the isolation ward at the SKIMS hospital in Soura," they said.

The officials added that samples of the suspects were collected and sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology in Pune.

Of the five, one had travelled to Thailand while two had been to Iran, they said, adding that the remaining two had a recent travel history to the epicentre of COVID-19 in China's Wuhan.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration took several steps on Wednesday as part of its efforts to control the spread of coronavirus, after a sudden spike in the number of positive cases in the country.

National Health Mission Director Bhupinder Kumar was appointed as the in-charge of the coronavirus control efforts in the Union territory, an order issued by the General Administration Department said.

The divisional commissioners of the Kashmir and Jammu regions have been made in-charge of the programme in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The government has directed officials to set up detection centres at all entry points, including airports and railway stations.

Besides creation of quarantine and isolation facilities, the government has also directed for a proper surveillance of those put under home quarantine.