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COVID-19: NO cause for Panic, says GOI as PM Modi decides to stay away from Holi celebrations

Coronavirus: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal calls urgent meeting with health minister

AFTER reviewing the situation across the country  with top officials following outbreak of dreaded  COVID-19, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr  Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said 28 positive cases of coronavirus have been detected so far in India and announced that all international flights and passengers will now have to undergo screening, and not just the 12 countries listed earlier. Speaking to media, the physician turned politico said if the Iranian government lent its support, a testing facility could be set up there as well. This will help bring back Indian citizens from Iran after a thorough screening, he said.  Dr Vardhan had met the Delhi health minister and civic body officials earlier during the day and urged them to augment facilities of isolation wards in city hospitals. Giving a breakup of those who tested positive for the virus, the minister said out of the total 28 COVID-19 cases in India, one person was from Delhi, six of his relatives in Agra, 16 Italians and their Indian driver, one in Telangana and the three earlier cases in Kerala. He also said that so far, 5,89,000 people have been screened at airports, over 10 lakh screened at borders with Nepal and around 27,000 were currently under community surveillance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he has decided not to participate in any ‘Holi Milan’ programme as experts have advised to reduce mass gatherings to avoid the spread of coronavirus. Experts across the world have advised reducing mass gatherings to avoid the spread of COVID19 Novel Coronavirus. Hence this year, I have decided not to participate in any ‘’’Holi Milan’ programme,” the PM tweeted. Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal, who is almost on his toes to contain and combat the virus, has also decided to skip Holi celebrations, one of the most popular Hindu fest due on March 10.  Chief Minister chaired an urgent meeting with Health Minister Satyendra Jain and other top officials to review the government’s preparations to deal with coronavirus. Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev and top officials of the Health Department were present at the meeting.

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