The Health Ministry is identifying emerging hotspots for COVID-19 and would implement rigorous cluster containment strategy to control any possibility of community transmission, senior officials said on March 29.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced CARES - PM Citizen Assistance and Release in Emergency Situation for COVID-19 management funds. Under this scheme, citizens can donate to help the government preparing and treating COVID-19 patients.
As the country is importing the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ventilators and N95 masks, the Health Ministry also confirmed local manufacturing of these equipments.
According to Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) with 30 per cent capacity utilisation, 34,931 samples had been tested as on March 29, said a senior official adding that 113 labs were functioning under ICMR lab network with approval to another 47 private labs to carry out the testing.
In a related development, the Home Ministry ordered the State Governments to stop the migrating workers immediately in OKing the provisions of the Disaster Management Act. They have also ordered a 14-days mandatory quarantine for them. Meanwhile, nearly 1.25 lakh wagons are on roads to transfer and provide essential goods, said officials.
As on date, India reported a total of 979 COVID-19 cases with 6 new deaths and 106 positive cases in the last 24 hours.