India shuts itself to contain Coronavirus

Thursday 12th March 2020 04:34 EDT
 
 

India quarantined itself on the day World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that novel coronavirus (COVID 2019) could now be `characterised as a pandemic''. In an unprecedented move, India suspended all visas - except diplomatic, official, UN till April 15 and closed the border with neighbouring Myanmar.

With number of affected cases reaching 60, the cabinet secretary said that all states and Union Territories should invoke provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act. It allows the state government and centre to take special measures and regulations to contain the spread of disease. Under the act, the state may prescribe regulations for the inspection of persons travelling by railways or air and the segregation, in hospital or temporary accommodation of the suspected cases. The violation of act attracts six months' imprisonment or 1,000 rupees fine or both.

Decision to take fresh precautionary measures were taken at a meeting organised in Delhi by the cabinet secretary. It was attended by secretaries of departments concerned, representatives from the army, ITBP among others. "It was decided that all states/UTs should be advised by MoHFW to invoke the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 so that all advisories being issued from time to time by the Ministry of Health Welfare/State/UTs are enforceable," the ministry said in a statement.

The head of the World Health Organisation also officially characterised the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on Wednesday. "This is the first pandemic caused by the coronavirus," WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said.

Group of Ministers meeting

Besides, the high-level Group of Ministers (GOM) constituted on the directions of the prime minister to review, monitor and evaluate the preparedness and measures taken regarding the management of COVID-19 also held its meeting on Wednesday. The meeting was held under the chairpersonship of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Minister of State for Home Nityananda Rai were also present in the meeting. A presentation of the status of COVID-19 was made to the GOM.

The action taken for prevention and management of COVID-19 in India were presented which included information about the various travel advisories issued in view of the evolving global situation regarding the disease, the ministry said in a statement.

In continuation of precautionary measures , India maintained that passengers with travel history to China, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Malaysia, France, Spain and Germany should undergo self-imposed quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of their arrival, and their employers should facilitate work-from-home for such employees during this period, the ministry said.

Universal screening is being done for travellers from 12 countries for all the flights from China, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia, Iran and Italy at the earmarked aero-bridges.

Health Secretary Preeti Sudan apprised the GoM that the states/UTs are advised to do rigorous IEC (Information, Education and Communication) and make people aware of the precautions, symptoms and helpline numbers.

The identification of additional quarantine facilities, development of isolation wards, training of health workers and doctors are also being undertaken, she said.

India closes border with Myanmar

As all Visas stand suspended for a month, India closed a border with neighbouring Myanmar. Countries across South Asia reported a rise in cases. "As a precautionary measure (to prevent) transmission of the virus, the international border with Myanmar has been closed... until further orders," N. Biren Singh, chief minister of the north-eastern state of Manipur, said.

The country's southern state of Kerala, which reported three new cases over the weekend, shut down schools and movie theatres to avoid a further outbreak. Schools in at least two more states have also been closed.


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