Piyush Goyal issues directives to constitute Rly Rapid Response Team to fight COVID-19  

Amid the surge in Coronavirus cases across the country, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday issued directives to constitute a six-member rapid response team from the Railway Board to coordinate the efforts of the Indian Railways across all zones. The decision was taken at the meeting over the railways' preparedness to contain the spread of COVID-19 in India. 

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Coronavirus in India

Government is taking all measures necessary to combat the deadly virus. Thermal screening is being carried out on airports across the country. India has banned all foreigners from entering the country. The Ministry has deployed around 30,000 - 35,000 personnel on community surveillance keeping a close watch. The government has also allowed private testing facilities to test patients for Coronavirus. Schools and other educational institutions, malls, cinema halls, pubs gyms and swimming pools have been shut down in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Also, religious and spiritual places of pilgrimage and worship such as Vaishnodevi, Shirdi's Saibaba temple and Mumbai's Siddhivinayak temple among others have been shut down.

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WHO praises India's effort to contain the virus

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday praised the Indian government's commitment to combat the novel coronavirus -- a pandemic which has infected more than 168,000 people and killed over 7500 globally. Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Henk Bekedam, the WHO Representative to India, commended the apex medical research institute for managing to isolate the strains of Sars-Cov-2. 

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The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India has reached 152, including 127 Indians and 25 foreign nationals according to government data on Wednesday morning. The deadly virus has claimed three lives in the country. Maharashtra is the worst-hit state in the country from the novel coronavirus with 42 people testing positive for the infection and one casualty reported in Mumbai on Tuesday. Kerala with 27 cases becomes the second state to report maximum cases of Coronavirus after Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi. The Centre has “strongly advised” Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. The government is also monitoring all suspected cases and has issued preventive advisories.

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