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Updated May 6th, 2020 at 13:18 IST

'May remember pandemic as blessing in disguise if India imbibes good hygiene': Health Min

Union health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said the nation may remember the pandemic as a "blessing in disguise" if people imbibe good hygiene practices

Reported by: Brigitte Fernandes
COVID-19
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Union health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said the nation may remember the pandemic as a 'blessing in disguise' if people imbibe good hygiene practices. He further said that fighting coronavirus is no rocket science if behavioural changes such as hand, environmental and respiratory hygiene, which are being practiced more rigorously during this period, get imbibed in society it will become the new normal.

The total number of Coronavirus cases came very close to 50,000-mark and the death toll crossed 1,600 with over 200 more fatalities, the Union Health Minister said.

READ | Rate of growth of new COVID-19 cases steadying for a while: Harsh Vardhan

On Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of a task force on the coronavirus vaccine development, drug discovery, diagnosis and testing and reviewed India's efforts in the fight against COVID-19.

The numbers suggested that more than one-third of the confirmed cases across the country has been detected in the past one week, with only a few urban centres in a handful of states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi accounting for a bulk of it. 

READ | COVID-19: Harsh Vardhan says Delhi needs more stringent action; puts onus on CM Kejriwal

Fear regarding the gulf evacuation

Concerns also emerged that India's tally may increase further with the government announcing plans to bring back a large number of Indians from various countries, beginning Wednesday, in what is being called the world's biggest-ever evacuation programme. PTI reported that over 3 lakh people have registered for the evacuation from the Gulf region itself.

While the absolute number of cases and the death toll in India is lower than many others, with more than 2.5 lakh people have lost their lives and over 35 lakh having been infected worldwide ever since the emergence of this virus in China last December, the lockdown restrictions have been lifted in several countries and many of them are now reporting few or zero cases.

READ | Delhi govt rushed into opening liquor shops despite city being in ‘red zone’: Harsh Vardhan

READ | Harsh Vardhan appeals to people, NGOs to donate blood

(With inputs from agency)

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Published May 6th, 2020 at 13:18 IST

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