BREAKING NEWS: Special trains to run for stranded people, students, workers: Home Ministry

New Delhi, May 1, 2020: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today said that movement of migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, studAents and other persons, stranded at different places, is also allowed by Special Trains to be operated by the Ministry of Railways. They will designate nodal officer(s) for coordinating with States/ UTs for their movement.

“Railway Ministry will issue detailed guidelines for sale of tickets; for social distancing and other safety measures to be observed at train stations, train platforms and within the trains”, Home Ministry spokesperson tweeted.

The joint secretary of the ministry, PS Srivastava, said that the state governments should contact the Railway Board and prepare a plan for this. The rules of social distancing have to be followed during movement of trains. The trains will be sanitized first and everyone will be screened. The ministry has also directed the states not to stop trucks at the border including empty truck. There will be no special pass for such trucks.

There has been considerable success in curbing the Coronavirus in the country. In the last twenty-four hours, 1993 new cases of COVID19 have been reported, while 564 people have become healthy after treatment. So far, 8888 infected patients have been sent home after treatment. The recovery rate has been reduced to 25.37 percent. It was 25.19% on Thursday.

Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan said that different districts of the states of the country are divided into red, orange and green zones. The ministry has made a new list of districts according to the number of corona cases, dabbling rates and tests. 130 districts are in the Red Zone. There are 284 districts in Orange and 319 districts in Green Zone. The Red and Orange zones are the focus of the Health Department team. Strictness will be continued even after May 3, especially in the red zone districts to prevent the spread of infection.

The Health Ministry informed that medical supplies are being increased in hospitals of the country. The supply of ventilators, oxygen, oxygen cylinders, PPE kits, N95 masks, diagnostic kits etc. are being increased. There are many challenges because these medical devices are in demand all over the world. 75,000 ventilators are needed in the country. Currently 19 thousand 338 ventilators are available. Apart from this, 60 thousand 884 ventilators have been ordered from various companies. Domestic companies are manufacturing 59 thousand 884 ventilators. Health workers are being trained to operate ventilators.

There are 5 big and 600 small companies in the country producing oxygen cylinders. There are 409 hospitals where there is generation of oxygen. 4 lakh 32 thousand medical oxygen is available. This is enough for the current needs. In view of further requirements, one lakh 30 thousand oxygen cylinders have been ordered.

In 15 days, 9 labs have been made to test products like PPE kits. Earlier there was only one lab named South India Textile Research Association in Coimbatore. 21 lakh PPE kits have been received so far. Till March 25, 3,312 PPE kits were produced in the country every day, but now 1 lakh 86 thousand PPE kits are being prepared every day.

There is a demand for 2.72 crore N-95 masks in the country. The government has ordered 2.49 crore masks. Among them, 1.49 crore will be produced by domestic companies. Its 2.30 lakh masks are being prepared every day.

The country needs 3.5 million RTPCR testing kits. ICMR has ordered 21 lakh kits. In this, 2 lakh kits will be manufactured by domestic companies. So far, 13.75 lakh kits have been received.