Kochi, Jan 22 (IANS): The Cochin International Airport (CIAL) from Wednesday started screening all incoming passengers from China and Hong Kong, following the outbreak of a Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), said a CIAL official.

Even though there are no direct flights to either China or Hong Kong from CIAL, such passengers will be arriving on flights mostly from Malaysia and Singapore.

Speaking to IANS, A.C.K. Nair, director of CIAL said following a detailed meeting held on Tuesday, the decision to screen all passengers visiting from China or Hong Kong was taken up.

"Intimations have gone to airline cabin crew that they should find out if any of their passengers are coming from China and Hong Kong. If any such passengers are there they should be told to first report to the health desk in the airport.

"Only after they are cleared by a medical team should such passengers be allowed to proceed towards immigration," said Nair.

The new Corona virus was first spotted in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province.

The new virus has so far claimed the lives of nine people and has left more than 400 under close monitoring in other countries.

Corona viruses can infect both animals and people, and cause illnesses of the respiratory tract.

The symptoms of infection include high fever, breathing difficulty. Detection becomes difficult when this surfaces like flu or a bad cold.

The incubation period from the time of exposure to the onset of symptoms is around two weeks.