With close to 30 cases reported on the coronavirus in India, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting on Friday to draw up precautionary preventive measures for the coronavirus. The meeting was held at Nabanna, the State Secretariat where all state officials and central officials were present. However, no cases of coronavirus have been detected so far in the state.
“We have to work like a family with the Centre to fight this. We are following all directions by the Central Government. There were three suspected cases of coronavirus but none tested positive. There is no reason to panic. We have set up isolation wards by state authorities, railway, port. 6,800 personal protective equipment and masks are available. Till date, travellers from 19 countries have come to Kolkata of which none have tested positive. Only two are in isolation wards,” said Mamata Banerjee. She further stated that the State government has set up a 24x7 call centre at 1800313444222.
Mamata said she will be writing a letter to the Centre, asking for masks while also asking to provide enough medication for the stated that 1 lakh people have been screened of which 3 were suspected cases but none tested positive. Mamata also asked people not to panic and that isolation wards were set up in all hospitals. The State administration has also set up Quick response teams in districts.
“Domestic flights will need to be cross-checked. Surveillance needs to be done. Suppose, one comes to India through an international flight and the symptoms didn't show while he was screened. Now, if it starts showing after he starts travelling through domestic flights, it'll be an issue. So we need to do this,” said Mamata who believes since Kolkata is the gateway to the East, being prepared to handle passengers travelling to and from the Eastern and North-Eastern States is important.
West Bengal has a border with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh for which land check posts and medical teams have been stationed there too for thermal screening. Sikkim has suspended ILP for foreign tourists but since Sikkim shares a border with Kurseong, Kalimpong and Darjeeling in West Bengal, Sikkim too has been alerted. “We have alerted them too. I have also asked the police to crack down on those chemists and supply chains if someone is hoarding medicines and masks. We will take them to task if anyone is found hoarding of this kind,” Added the West Bengal Chief Minister.
