5 being monitored at Bengaluru hospital, 419 at home

Five people are being monitored at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases here while the Karnataka Health Department is monitoring 419 people under home isolation across the state, an official said on Wednesday.

"We are observing 419 people for coronavirus symptoms all over the state under home isolation. There is no positive coronavirus case in Karnataka," state Health Department's Joint Director, Communicable Diseases, Prakash Kumar to IANS.

These 419 are from 637 travellers from coronavirus-affected countries.

Five Karnataka districts bordering Kerala -- Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru -- continue to be under surveillance after three positive coronavirus cases were reported in Kerala.

Starting January 20 till Wednesday, 42,283 passengers have undergone thermal screening for coronavirus at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).

Of all the people screened at the airport in the last two weeks, only three had a history of visiting China's Wuhan, the coronavirus epicentre. A total of 180 people travelled elsewhere in China, while 1,984 people travelled to other coronavirus affected countries.

Of the 280 coronavirus symptomatic samples sent for examination, 275 were marked as eligible for testing even as 259 samples have been declared negative from the state so far.

"In case people with recent travel history to China and other affected countries develop any symptoms, they are requested to call 104 or health authorities and provide all necessary details in order to take precautionary measures and are requested to be home isolated," the Health Department said.

Meanwhile, 209 passengers screened by the Health Department have completed the mandatory 28-day observation period. IANS