He also urged them to adopt best practices for coronavirus (Covid-19) management from across the world.

After reviewing the situation and the actions taken by the various ministries on the growing coronavirus scare in the country, the Prime Minister said that an immediate exercise should be taken up to identify "sufficient locations for quarantine and also for critical care provisioning in case the disease spreads."

He emphasised on the need for advance and adequate planning, saying that timely response is critical for managing the infectious disease.

The Prime Minister said that the concerned officials should identify the best practices for Covid-19 management from across the world and within the states and ensure their adoption.

He added that people should be advised to avoid mass gatherings as far as possible and be made aware of the Do's and Dont's with regard to the virus. The Prime Minister also instructed the concerned officials to plan for early testing and evacuation of Indians from Iran.

The meeting was attended by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Minister for State Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Niti Aayog member Vinod K Paul and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, among others.

The Health Ministry informed the Prime Minister about the measures taken to contain the virus.

Senior government officials told Modi that it is vital to maintain constant vigil at all airports, seaports and land border crossings, besides ensuring the availability of sufficient beds for isolation.

Harsh Vardhan emphasised the need for effective coordination with the states for timely response.