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Dimapur, Feb. 12 (EMN): Amid fears over the spread of the novel coronavirus around the world, the Home department of Nagaland government has directed the principal secretary and commissioner, and all the deputy commissioners of the state to immediately issue orders to all the Village Councils “reiterating the ban on hunting of wild animals in their areas”.
The letter was issued in the backdrop of the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the outbreak of novel coronavirus in China and other countries as a public health emergency of international concern. It is reported that the virus death toll has reached 1,113 and 44,653 cases of infection in China as on February 11.
‘Available evidence on the novel coronavirus and past experience with other coronavirus and other respiratory viruses suggest that there may have been a transmission of viruses from wild animals to humans,’ read the letter.
It went on to state that one of the preventive measures suggested by the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare in its advisory to stop the spread of the virus is “to refrain from activities like hunting, which increases the chances of contact of wild animals and wild animal products with humans”.
“A report of the action taken may be intimidated to this office at the earliest,” it added.
It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had convened a high-level meeting in Kohima earlier this month to discuss issues concerning the coronavirus. The state government operationalised the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre with command centre on January 28 and began screening of passengers at Dimapur railway station and airport from January 29.
The minister for Health and Family Welfare, S Pangnyu Phom, had earlier assured that no confirmed cases of the virus had been reported in Nagaland.
Meanwhile, three positive coronavirus infection cases have been reported in India so far. The Indian Embassy in Japan confirmed on Wednesday that two Indian crew onboard cruise ship ‘Diamond Princess’ off Japanese coast were tested positive for the virus.