Amid the growing scare over coronavirus (COVID-19), the Punjab government on March 2 announced emergency measures, including setting up of flu corners in all government and private hospitals, to prepare for any exigency arising from the epidemic.

The flu corners will screen all suspected cases of respiratory tract infections at the earliest and ensure that movement of such cases is restricted in order to prevent the spread of the disease. The Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister, took stock of the situation triggered by the global epidemic, even as one confirmed case each of the disease was reported from Delhi and Telangana. The Cabinet approved the Punjab Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 under the ambit of section 2, 3 and 4 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to combat the menace of COVID-19 (Corona Virus Diseases 2019), an official spokesperson told IANS after the meeting.

A notification to this effect will be issued soon, he added. No private laboratory has been authorised to take or test sample of coronavirus in the state, as per the notification approved by the Cabinet. Further, no person or institution or organisation will use any print or media in any form for giving information COVID-19 without prior permission of the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

The spread of any rumours or unscientific information regarding COVID-19 will be a punishable offence under the notification, said the spokesperson. As per the Cabinet decision, all the hospitals in the state are being directed to take a suspected patient's history of travel to any country or area from where spread of disease is being reported, and also history of coming in contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, from case of respiratory tract infections or case presenting with symptoms similar to coronavirus. If there is any history of travel or history of contact with a case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days of development of symptoms, the person has to be kept in hospital isolation and the Department of Health has to be informed immediately by that doctor or hospital.