The Railways had been given instructions to thoroughly sterilise all its coaches to prevent the spread of SRS-CoV-2 infection, said Health Secretary Beela Rajesh.

At a press conference here on Sunday, she said instructions had been issued to the transport departments and the Railway authorities to sterilise all buses and railway stations and trains besides public places to prevent the spread of the infection.

As of Sunday, of the two persons quarantined in a hospital one had tested positive and the other was under observation.

Since the infection was limited to persons who had been travelling, she said the focus was on advising against unnecessary travel. “We are also releasing IEC material to educate the population,” she added.

According to her, of the 60 samples lifted for testing only one had tested positive. The condition of the patient who had tested positive was stable, she added.

‘State well-equipped’

The State was well-equipped with medicines, doctors and could deal with the infection, so far. She urged people to avoid travelling unnecessarily. “The disease is spreading due to travel history to affected countries, and contact with those with travel history. We are reviewing the situation daily. The patient who tested positive had developed symptoms three days after arrival,” she said.

The health department was currently tracing the contacts who travelled with him and they were under stringent surveillance. The second level contacts were also being traced, the official added.