COVID-19: Indian Army makes additional quarantine facility for 1,000 people in Jaisalmer

The Indian Army on Saturday created an additional quarantine facility in Jaisalmer for the Indian citizens who are returning from abroad amid the Coronavirus outbreak. As per reports, the facility can fit around 1,000 people at one time. 

Reportedly, the Rajasthan State Health Department confirmed the fourth Coronavirus positive case on Saturday. The 24-year-old man had recently returned from Spain. As a precautionary measure, the State government has also ordered educational institutions, coaching centres, gyms and cinema halls to remain closed till March 30. 

Apart from Rajasthan, several other states including Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra have announced the closing of the educational institutes. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government on Friday invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act declaring the Coronavirus as an epidemic, as announced by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Coronavirus in India

As of date, the total number of positive cases in India has soared up to around 84 as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Along with it, two deaths have been reported in Kalaburagi and West Delhi respectively. India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15.

Moreover, the Centre has “strongly advised” Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. The government is also monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories. 

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The Coronavirus crisis

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel coronavirus has affected nearly 135 countries in the world. Presently, there are over 142,649 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 5,393 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to treat COVID-19, countries have been grappling with all possible mechanisms to contain its scope. So far, China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran have witnessed the most number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

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(With ANI Inputs)