In a press briefing on the COVID-19 situation in India, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare confirmed that the country has so far recorded a total of 81 cases, including 64 Indians, 1 Canadian and 16 Italians.
The first death due to the novel coronavirus has also been recorded in India, of a 76-year-old man in Karnataka.
Importantly, he also assured that all patients are ‘clinically stable’ and ten have recovered. Three from Kerala had already recovered, and seven more from Safdarjung will be discharged soon.
Protect Yourself, Your Loved Ones and the Community
It was also asserted that the current situation in the country is not a ‘health emergency’, but the provisions of the Epidemic Disease Act is to give legal authority to states to instruct non-cooperative individuals.
Lav Agarwal added also that the fundamental objective here is to follow the 3 Ps: protection of the self, protection of our loved ones and protection of the community.
Officials said so far, India has evacuated 1,031 people, including from Maldives, US, Madagascar and China.
"An exercise will be undertaken on Saturday to bring back Indian passengers stranded in Iran. Air India will also send a flight to Milan on Saturday to bring back stranded Indians. It will land on Sunday morning at Delhi airport," officials said.
Meanwhile, 124 evacuees from Japan, 112 evacuees from China are being discharged from Friday onwards after testing negative for COVID-19, they added.
The Centre also decided to allow international traffic only through 19 border checkposts out of 37 and decided to continue suspension of Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses till April 15, or earlier, if so decided.
With the World Health Organisation declaring coronavirus a pandemic, the officials said 42,000 people across the country are under community surveillance.
(With inputs from PTI)
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