Over 2,000 people across the world have lost their lives to the coronavirus outbreak so far.
The Shimla district administration today called in five Chinese tourists and two others from Myanmar and Thailand for medical screening after they were found staying in a hotel in the hill town. Fortunately, none of them were found to be suffering from coronavirus.
The move comes amid the ongoing viral outbreak, which has killed over 2,000 people across the globe.
According to officials, the five Chinese nationals had landed in Kolkata on January 29. They have a 30-day tourist visa that expires on February 27. "The five Chinese nationals travelled through Varanasi and other places before reaching Shimla on February 16. Although they swore that they were screened before their departure from China and upon their arrival at Kolkata, we still screened them on all the three parameters -- respiratory infection, cough and fever -- and found nothing suspicious," an official told NDTV.
District officials had a hard time interacting with the Chinese tourists due to language-related issues.
All the seven tourists will now leave for New Delhi, from where they are supposed to leave for their native countries.
The tourists have been advised against visiting crowded places during their stay in India.
India has reported three confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, all from Kerala, so far. Two of them have been released after achieving a full recovery, the third is being kept in isolation at a hospital in Kasargode district.
The coronavirus outbreak originated from Wuhan in China, where many Indians are known to reside. Hundreds have been evacuated by the central government so far.