Ghaziabad DM asks all departments to be on high alert, implements strict measures

Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey on Monday instructed all the officials of Ghaziabad Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, and other civic agencies to remain on high alert. The instructions come at the back of the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the country as the number of positive cases reached 110, as per the Health Ministry. 

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Efforts to combat COVID-19

Pandey has reviewed the situation with all departments and has instructed the Ghaziabad Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation to provide complete information regarding coronavirus through the Resident Welfare Association (RWAs) in their areas. 

Pandey has taken additional steps of ensuring that there is no black marketing and selling of sanitisers and masks, keeping a list of stock and prices of masks and sanitisers outside every medical store. He has also banned the use of the biometric system with immediate effect. 

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110 confirmed cases of the virus have been reported in India till Monday morning with two deaths reported from Karnataka and Delhi. 

Multiple states across the country have taken up measures to contain the spread of the virus, including shutting down schools, universities, malls and other places where a large number of people can gather. Multiple firms have also implemented work from home so as to not expose the employees to the virus.

The Union government announced a travel ban on and suspended all visas and stated that all existing visas, barring diplomatic, UN/International Organisations, employment and project visas, will stand suspended till April 15, 2020. 

This advisory also applies for people with visa-free travel, and to OCI cardholders, whose visa-free access will be temporarily suspended with effect from March 13, 2020. However, the statement mentioned that any foreign national who intends to travel to India for any compelling reason may contact the nearest Indian Embassy for further clarity or guidance.

The Ministry of External Affairs has also appointed an additional secretary level rank official as nodal officer to coordinate efforts at the global level regarding the spread of COVID-19. 

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Globally, around 6,000 people have died due to Coronavirus. The virus has infected around 1,69,000 people worldwide and has now spread to North America, South America, Europe, New Zealand, and more than 100 other countries.

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