MASSIVE: MHA allows inter-state movement of stranded migrants, students across the country

In a big development on Wednesday, Ministry of Home Affairs has permitted inter-state movement of stranded persons in country. This move will help migrant workers, students, pilgrims, tourists who have been stranded in different parts of India to return to ir home state. While buses will be used for transportation of persons, y will be allowed to proceed only after being medically screened. Moreover, y will again be tested for COVID-19 at ir destination and kept in home quarantine or sent to an institutional quarantine facility as per assessment. Currently, re are 31,787 confirmed vel coronavirus cases in India out of which 7,797 persons have recovered while 1008 casualties have been reported.

Read: Dr. Harsh Vardhan Lauds Quality Of Healthcare; Cites Low Number Of Serious COVID-19 Cases

MHA issues guidelines

As per guidelines issued by MHA, all state governments have been directed to designate dal officers and develop standard protocols for receiving and sending such stranded persons. dal authorities shall register stranded persons within ir state or Union Territory. sending and receiving state must consult each or when a group of stranded persons seeks to move from one state to ar state and mutually agree to movement by road. buses used for purpose of transporting migrants shall be sanitised and follow social distancing rms. Furrmore, states falling in transit route will allow pass of such persons to receiving state. Even if migrants test negative for vel coronavirus, y will be subjected to periodic check-ups. 

Read: Punjab Extends Lockdown & Curfew By 2 Weeks; Restrictions To Be Relaxed For 4 Hours Daily

Union Health Minister lauds quality healthcare

Earlier in day, Union Health Minister Dr.Harsh Vardhan lauded quality of healthcare being provided across India. He stated that COVID-19 cases are doubling in India every 11.3 days. He also ted that India had a COVID-19 mortality rate of 3% in comparison to global mortality rate of around 7%. Union Health Minister pointed out that 86% of deceased persons had co-morbidities. He appreciated fact that only 0.33% of patients are on ventilators, 1.5% of patients are on oxygen support and 2.34% of patients are in ICU. Mentioning that 288 government labs along with 97 private labs were conducting around 60,000 tests every day, he stressed that Centre was taking necessary steps to increase testing capacity to 1 lakh tests per day. 

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