Amid the nationwide lockdown owing to the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic, homeless people and daily wage workers, who migrate to big cities from their home towns in search of jobs, are combating hunger for survival as the fast-spreading disease has now created a panic situation across India.
The situation had gone from bad to worse and during this crisis, celebrities, entrepreneurs, businessmen rose to the occasion by doing their best to help the country combat the pandemic.
There have been 23,452 confirmed coronavirus cases in India on Friday, including 723 deaths. So far 4,814 people have recovered from the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Sikkim is the only state in India that has not reported any coronavirus cases so far. Sikkim managed to accomplish this feat by staying on alert ever since the coronavirus count recorded its first case from Kerala in January and following a step-by-step approach to fight COVID-19, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang added in a statement.
It is to be noted that India’s first case of coronavirus was reported from Kerala on January 30. “We have been on alert ever since the first case was reported. February onwards, we started active screening. The entry of international tourists was banned on March 5, and domestic tourists were banned on March 17; state borders were sealed. This strategy has worked,” Mr Tamang told NDTV.
Sikkim screened over 6 lakh people and eighty samples that were sent for testing was negative. The nearest lab is North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Bengal’s Siliguri, about 140 km away. Sikkim would now rely more on quick testing, the Chief Minister said.
“The credit for the success of our model goes to our frontline workers, our society. The discipline that they (Sikkimese) showed in observing the lockdown is commendable. We have been successful… not a single case COVID-19 reported from the state. We will remain focused on it. We are building our plans for the next phase when the lockdown is lifted,” Mr Tamang further said.