Two passengers who arrived from Dubai tested positive at the Chennai airport today. (Representational)
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Health Department said that two passengers coming from Dubai tested positive for the Coronavirus infection at Chennai airport today.
"Two passengers who arrived from Dubai tested positive at the Chennai airport today. Both of them hailed from the Alangudi district of Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai. Their test samples have been sent to State Public Health Laboratory," the state Health Department said.
As per the information, at least 39 international travellers have tested positive for Covid infection in the last three days as the government of India started randomly testing international passengers arriving at the airports for Coronavirus from 24 December onwards.
"The total number of international flights screened in the last three days ie Dec 24, Dec 25 and Dec 26 is 498. The number of samples collected for Covid19 testing is 1,780. The cumulative number of samples collected is 3,994. The cumulative number of samples testing positive is 39 and the cumulative number of samples sent for whole genome sequencing is 39," sources told ANI on Tuesday.
In light of the surge in Covid-19 in some countries, hospitals across India conducted a Mock drill for Covid-19. The purpose of the mock drill was to evaluate Covid-19 preparedness in terms of resources, protocol and personnel.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya went to the Safdarjung Hospital to observe the Mock drill.
"To make sure there isn't a Covid surge in the country, PM Narendra Modi has asked us to be careful. The government is also preparing if the Covid cases increase. Today mock drills are conducted across Covid hospitals in the country to make sure people get proper treatment," the Union Health Minister said at Safdarjung hospital.
This came after four international travellers from Myanmar tested positive for the Coronavirus infection at the Delhi airport.
As there have been reports of a surge in Covid cases in some countries, the operational readiness of health facilities is being reviewed in all States and Union Territories in case of another wave.
BK Mohapatra, Director of Health Services in Odisha said, "Mock drill is being conducted today to see how prepared we are. We need to have full monitoring and keep all the logistics ready.
There is excess oxygen in our state. If any shortcoming is found (during the mock drill), it will be addressed."
Mock drills are conducted at (MCH) Hospital at Gandhi Nagar in Jammu, and Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)