IAF personnel loading medical supplies to a IAF transport aircraft to China's Wuhan province

NEW DELHI: With number of coronavirus cases going up in India, the government has directed 20 key ministries and departments to identify facilities that can be used as quarantine centres and converted to temporary hospitals with isolation facilities in case of need.

The armed forces as well as central paramilitary forces have also been asked to prepare quarantine facilities at their hospitals and health centres with a bed capacity to admit over 5,400 people at 37 locations across the country. The forces have been asked to set up 75 isolation wards as part of preparations to combat a possible large-scale outbreak.

Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba has urged defence and railway ministries and ESIC to support in extending network of their hospital and laboratory facilities by permitting them for civilian use.

He has also directed the director general of foreign trade (DGFT) to monitor the export of essential active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), drugs and masks besides facilitating import of essential APIs/ drugs in consultation with the health ministry.

Gauba has asked Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to extend the network of laboratory facilities and support research for diagnostics and vaccines.

The external affairs ministry has been asked to monitor global updates about the situation, provide information about travellers — particularly Indians — coming from affected nations and ensure prompt and proper implementation of visa restrictions. The cabinet secretary has asked the ministry to advise on the impact of coronavirus spread on trade and take necessary action to ensure that “unnecessary travel/ trade restrictions are not imposed” on India by other countries.

Both rural and urban affairs ministries have been directed to maintain environmental sanitation and spread awareness about the risks, with the help of women self-help groups (SHGs).

The tourism ministry has been tasked to maintain vigil in major tourists spots while the transport ministry has been asked to ensure sanitation of all seats, handles and bars in all public transport vehicles to prevent spread of coronavirus.