PM to address nation regarding coronavirus at 8 pm today
The PM is expected to talk about issues relating to coronavirus and the efforts to combat the pandemic that has claimed more than 7,500 lives across the world.
After chairing a high-level meeting to review the ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19 in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8 pm on Thursday (March 19).
The PM is expected to talk about issues relating to coronavirus and the efforts to combat the pandemic that has claimed more than 7,500 lives across the world.
India, to date, has 151 confirmed cases of which there have been three deaths and about 14 people have recovered.
PM @narendramodi chaired a high-level meeting to review the ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19.
Ways to further strengthen India’s preparedness were discussed.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 18, 2020
According to an official statement, “Ways to further strengthen India’s preparedness (over coronavirus) were discussed. This includes further enhancing testing facilities.”
In the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasised on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organisations in chalking out mechanisms to fight the pandemic.
He also urged officials and technical experts to deliberate on the steps to be taken next.
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The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to all those at the forefront of combating COVID-19 including the various state governments, medical fraternity, paramedical staff, armed and paramilitary forces, those associated with the aviation sector, municipal staff and others, the statement said.
In a bid to cut out the chances of further spread, the Centre has announced closure of the country’s borders, testing incoming travellers and contact tracing from those tested positive with COVID-19.
Although the government is propogating social-distancing as an effective measure to contain the virus, given India’s population density, where 420 people live on each square kilometer (about 0.4 of a square mile), compared with 148 per square kilometer in China, the country may face several challenges.
“While South Korea was able to test even asymptomatic people, India’s population makes it extremely difficult,” said Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, adjunct professor of epidemiology at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University and president of the New Delhi-based health think-tank Public Health Foundation of India, told Bloomberg.
Giving the testing protocols a major revision, India on Tuesday permitted NABL-accredited private labs to conduct coronavirus tests. But the government has yet to release the list of authorized labs, according to Dr Lokesh Kumar Sharma, spokesperson of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said.
The government has also ordered educational institutions, malls, theaters and other public spaces to be shut till March 31.
(With inputs from agencies.)