E-Paper
PM Modi offers a crucial warning on Coronavirus outbreak
PM Modi Live on Coronavirus outbreak: He spoke of World War II to highlight that coronavirus had impacted more people and countries in comparison and had plunged the entire humanity into a crisis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a sentiment was taking shape in the past few days that India had managed to avoid the worst impact of coronavirus disease that has wreaked havoc globally with a combined death toll of over 8,000 and over 200,000 infections before adding that it was not possible for the country to remain insulated and advised the countrymen against a complacent approach that he cautioned could prove disastrous for a country with 1.3 billion people.
“In the past few days, there is this environment, this sentiment, that we have escaped the crisis, it appears that we are alright,” the prime minister said before adding that “a carefree approach against the global pandemic of coronavirus was not the right approach,” and that every Indian needed to be alert in the coming days to prevent the contagion from spreading.
“Mostly natural disasters are limited to a few countries or states but this one has plunged the entire humanity into a crisis,” he said.
He spoke of World War II to highlight that coronavirus had impacted more people and countries in comparison and had plunged the entire humanity into a crisis.
“So many countries were not affected even during the second world war as are today due to coronavirus disease” the prime minister said.
The prime minister reminded countrymen that it was important for them to follow instructions and advisories issued to fight the disease and be committed towards remaining healthy.
He said that coronavirus was not a normal crisis for a developing country like India hinting how it can set back the country’s economy.
“When we can today see the comprehensive impact of this global disease on big countries and developed economies, then (for us) to assume that this will have no impact on India is a wrong notion to nurture,” he said before listing out measures of collective resolve needed to fight the disease.
Among the top measures, the prime minister asked citizens to observe a one-day voluntary curfew on March 22 to prevent community transmission of the disease and avoid visiting hospitals for general health check-ups and postpone elective surgeries to relieve the medical staff from pressure.
