Coronavirus - The Union cabinet announces emergency fund of ₹15 billion

New Delhi: – The number of deaths in the country has reached 652, and the total number of cases has reached 21,000. 431 new cases were added in Maharashtra on Wednesday, thus taking the total number of cases to 5,649. 309 cases were added in Mumbai alone, taking the total numbers to 3,754. A meeting of the Union cabinet was held on Wednesday, against the background of the current transmission of the Coronavirus. In the meeting, an emergency fund of ₹15 billion was announced for upgradation of the agencies for emergency responses. The fund will be utilised to improve the emergency response capabilities, to bring the pandemic under control and for the development of facilities for diagnosis and treatment of the Coronavirus patients.

It has been clarified in the information revealed by the health ministry that the number of cases in the country increased by 1,400 taking the total number to 20,471. But this does not include the number of cases reported from various states on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Maharashtra reported 431 new cases, Delhi 89, Tamil Nadu 33, Rajasthan 153, Uttar Pradesh 112, Gujarat 132 and West Bengal reported 32 new cases. Therefore, the number of cases has crossed 21,000.

The number of cases reported across the country since the last week is between 1,200 to 1,500. Therefore, the number of new cases in the country is increasing rapidly. The government has increased the rate of screening. It is being said that the rise in the number of cases is because of the increased screening. Rapid testing had been started, but as the kits received from China were found to be faulty, the tests were suspended for some time. Therefore, the number of tests decreased in the country on Wednesday. China has said that it will cooperate with India regarding the faulty kits.

Meanwhile, to face the current Coronavirus crisis and to ready the health systems for any future similar crisis, the union government has made a provision of ₹15 billion. Out of this ₹7.774 billion has been declared as an emergency fund to upgrade health systems and facilities, for emergency response. Moreover, the remaining fund will be invested in creating laboratories, increasing preparedness for biological security and research regarding pandemics.