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.
The condition across the country is critical now. India’s current death toll from the coronavirus pandemic stands at 339, with the nation reporting 10,363 confirmed cases and out of them, 1,036 people have recovered from the disease.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the ongoing nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country will continue till May 3.
Addressing the country on Tuesday, the day when the previous 21-day lockdown was set to conclude, the Prime Minister appreciated the resolve of Indians in fighting the coronavirus epidemic
Reassuring the country that India’s fight against COVID-19 is going strong, the PM said, “Before the detection of even a single case in India, we had started screening international passengers coming from COVID-19 affected countries. When we had only 550 cases of coronavirus here, India had taken the major step of a lockdown of 21 days. India did not wait for the problem to grow. Rather, as soon as the problem was seen, we took a timely fast decision.”
The Indian Prime Minister in his speech had acknowledged that the lockdown has not been that easy.
“It has cost us economically But it is not bigger than the lives of our people. How do we take this forward? How do we win? We have been in constant touch with the state governments. All of them say extend the lockdown. Keeping everything into account, the lockdown will have to be extended till May 3. During this time, we will have to be disciplined like we have been all this while.” he said.
PM Modi had also warned that the COVID-19 cases in the nation will increase in the next week.
“Next one week, the fight will be tightened and lockdown will be enforced even more strongly. We have to ensure that we do not allow the coronavirus to grow. Hotspots have to be isolated and lockdown enforced more stringently,” he said.
“If any area turns back after this relaxation, curbs will be reintroduced. Hence, please be very careful,” he said.
Narendra Modi also praised state governments for giving absolutely everything in managing the current situation round the clock.
“The State Governments of the country have also acted with great responsibility in this, managing the situation round the clock. But friends, the way the Corona pandemic is spreading amidst all these efforts, has made health experts & governments around the world even more alert. I have been in continuous touch with the States on how the fight against Corona should progress in India. Everyone has suggested that the lockdown should be continued,” he added.
PM Modi also called upon the scientific community in India to work on a vaccine for the coronavirus pandemic which will benefit the world. “While India has limited resources today, I have a special request for India’s young scientists – to come forward and take a lead in creating a vaccine for Coronavirus; for the welfare of the world, for the welfare of the human race,” he concluded.