Punjab seeks package to combat COVID-19 crisis

Chandigarh, March 20 (IANS) Expressing concern over the escalating COVID-19 crisis, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a fiscal package to combat the crisis and for permission to get tests done at private hospitals and labs in the state.

Taking part in the deliberations during a video conference convened by the Prime Minister with all the Chief Ministers to review the situation, Amarinder Singh said there was urgent need to scale up the testing for the coronavirus and the Centre should immediately allow reputed private medical colleges and super-specialty hospitals.

Amarinder Singh also suggested that the ICMR should be allowed testing of close contacts of confirmed cases even without symptoms.

He also requested the Prime Minister to immediately extend the travel ban on international flights for two weeks instead of one to prevent continued entry of NRIs into Punjab, and to enable the government to track and test all those who had already come in.

The Chief Minister also urged the Prime Minister to allow payment of wages to NREGA workers who could come to work as preventive measures in view of COVID-19.

Amarinder Singh recommended additional 5 kg of wheat per person should be provided under Food Security Mission to help out the people in this hour of crisis.

He also suggested that the Centre should soon come out with a comprehensive proposal to mitigate the adverse economic impact of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Amarinder Singh assured the Prime Minister that the state was fully prepared to combat any exigency arising out of COVID-19.

He said the entire state machinery, especially the Health Department, was geared to provide the best possible treatment to the symptomatic patients, who are under treatment in various government hospitals.

Apprising the Prime Minister about the current status, Amarinder Singh said so far three positive cases have been detected and one person had died, whose confirmed positive post-death.

Of the total 140 test results, test reports in 18 cases were awaited. As many as 96,273 travellers have been screened at Mohali and Amritsar airports, as well as the Amritsar Wagah-Attari border check post and Dera Baba Nanak Check Post in Gurdaspur.

A total of 1,454 travellers have been home quarantined, 47 government quarantined and 18 are in hospital isolation.