PM Modi holds video conference with all chief ministers to discuss ways to combat COVID-19 threat

New Delhi: Sitting far apart from one another inside a large hall, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some key Union Ministers including Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh held a video-conference with the chief ministers of all states to discuss how they are responding to the COVID-19 threat.
The highly infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus has killed at least 50 in India till Thursday morning – 12 of those deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. The number of people infected with COVID-19 rose to 1,965 on Thursday.
A novel virus is one that has not been previously identified in humans. The World Health Organisation has said this novel coronavirus can spread via respiratory droplets, so social distancing has been recommended.
During the video conference, PM Modi and the leaders discussed tracing the contacts of those who have been found infected with coronavirus and sending positive cases to quarantine facilities.
Sources said they are likely to discuss the sudden increase in positive cases after hundreds attended an Islamic sect meeting in Delhi’s Nizamuddin, where many were found infected with coronavirus, and returned to their home states.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu tweeted people should exercise caution even after the lockdown is over.
This was PM Modi’s second video conference with chief ministers after COVID-19 infections were first detected in India last month, and the first such meeting after the Prime Minister enforced a 21-day lockdown to minimise the spread of the coronavirus.
All the states and Union Territories have mobilised resources and set up quarantine centres to tackle the COVID-19 threat.