Coronavirus Outbreak: Why self-declaration is key in tackling the deadly disease

New Delhi, Mar 09: The rapid spread of the coronavirus has sparked alarm worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency, and many countries are grappling with a rise in confirmed cases.

In India, the virus saw spike over the past two weeks, with the latest patients inclduing a three-year-old child in Kerala's Ernakulam district and a 63-year-old woman in Jammu and Kashmir.

As the government battles the deadly disease, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan listed the steps being take by the government to control the spread of coronavirus in the country.

"Healthy people don't need masks. Only people who are unhealthy need to use it so that they do not transmit the illness," Vardhan said on Monday.

The minister also stressed on the need to voluntarily declare the travel history so that it becomes easier to check the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus.

"Voluntary declaration is for the well-being of everyone. All of us will benefit if people start filling out the form," said Vardhan.

Vardhan stressed on coordinated action between all concerned departments and agencies for activities such as contact tracing, community surveillance, hospital management, identification of isolation wards, ensuring adequate personal protection equipment and masks and risk communication for mass awareness.

Meanwhile, a home ministry statement has requested all international passengers to share their details and travel history at the airport.

"We request all international passengers to share their details and travel history at the airport. We cannot contain this virus without your help and support," the statement said.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 43 as four more cases were reported from UP, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Kerala each.

A total of 8,74,708 international passengers from 8,255 flights have been screened at airports till now with 1,921 passengers identified as symptomatic, 177 of them have been hospitalised.

More than 33,599 passengers are under observation out of which 21,867 passengers have completed their observation period.