"Coronavirus not declared epidemic in Punjab"

Coronavirus in Punjab: The state Government on Friday clarified that Coronavirus had not been declared as an epidemic in Punjab. The Health Department had issued a precautionary advisory under The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, which provides special measures to prevent an outbreak or spread of any dangerous epidemic disease, it said. While clarifying that the advisory issued by the Health Department earlier had inadvertently described COVID-19 as an epidemic disease, an official spokesperson said. However, he said that later there was absolutely no ‘epidemic’ of the disease in the state. The spokesperson said that the Department had issued an advisory under the said Act only as a `temporary regulation’ to tackle the threat of the Coronavirus. Adding, he said that there was no cause for panic currently and the situation was totally under control. Meanwhile, samples of two of the three persons who returned from Italy to Hoshiarpur had been admitted to GMCH Amritsar after they were tested positive during the preliminary report of AIIMS, Delhi. The final reports were awaited from NIV, Pune, where the samples had been sent. Also Read | Punjab: 25 suspected coronavirus cases in Kapurthala The spokesperson made it clear that the advisory notification was issued after the decisions taken by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to ensure that the disease does not spread in the state. The Government had not taken any decision to declare the disease an epidemic. According to the spokesperson, under The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, all that the government did was to take preventive initiatives, including screening of suspected cases, recording of travel history in case of travel to country/area where coronavirus has been reported. It included a 14-day home quarantine of person with such history found asymptomatic. -PTC News