Government has conducted 11,20,529 screen tests at border check posts amid coronavirus outbreak in the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Eight central teams visited the bordering villages of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar to review activities at border crossing. The screen test were done in collaboration with five states, Seema Shastra Bal (SSB) and Land Port Authorities.
"Gram Sabhas have been conducted in villages adjoining the borders to create awareness amongst people about the disease and precautions to be taken in collaboration with Panchayati Raj Ministry," Harsh Vardhan said.
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On March 5, the health minister gave a statement about actions that government has taken so far to prevent coronavirus risk.
"The ever increasing magnitude of this outbreak globally calls for a concerted effort by not only health but all sectors of Government. Our government has initiated a series of action to prevent entry of the disease and to contain it. I am daily reviewing the situation," Harsh Vardhan said in Rajya Sabha.
He also stated that he has met with several ministries four times since the inception of coronavirus in India on February 3, 2020.
Apart from screening at border check posts, government has initiated screening of passengers in 12 major seaports and 65 minor ports in the country. As on 4 March, 16,076 persons have been screened at the ports, Harsh Vardhan said.
So far, India has reported 30 positive cases of coronavirus.
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