COVID-19: Inmates of Jabalpur Central Jail manufacture face masks to cater to high demand

In a bid to tide over the shortage of masks during the coronavirus outbreak, inmates of Central Jail in Jabalpur are manufacturing face masks to cater to its high demand in the market. The face-masks manufactured in Jail will be supplied to the market in bulk.

Speaking to ANI, Jail Superintendent, Gopal Tamrakar apprised about the bulk orders for the face masks and said,

"A team of 100 inmates is working to produce masks. We have also received an order of 50,000 masks from Mumbai.

The inmates have also been given sewing machines and the materials required for making the masks. Furthermore, all precautionary measures are being taken for the protection from any sort of infection while manufacturing masks.

Meanwhile, the total number of positive cases in India has soared to over 150, including foreign nationals, according to the Health Ministry of India. The maximum cases of the virus have been reported in Maharashtra and Kerala. A third death was reported in India on Tuesday in Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital. Earlier, two deaths were reported in Kalaburgi and West Delhi. 

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Prisoners manufacture masks in Maharashtra to overcome the shortage

Similarly, prisons in Maharashtra have stepped in to manufacture the protective gear. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said in order to meet the increasing demand for masks during the pandemic, inmates in central prisons across Maharashtra have started manufacturing them.

The minister said the prison administration approved of his idea and have started manufacturing. Some of these masks are used by inmates, prison officials and the rest are sold to suppliers, Deshmukh said, adding that prisoners are paid for this work. Meanwhile, the Home Minister has directed the prison administration to screen all new inmates in view of the pandemic.

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COVID-19 has affected over 170 countries

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel Coronavirus has affected nearly 173 countries in the world and one international conveyance-- the Diamond Princess cruise ship harboured in Yokohama, Japan. Presently, there are around 219,087 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of around 8,961 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to treat COVID-19 yet, 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 inputs from ANI)