New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with leaders and representatives from SAARC nations participated in a video conference to chalk out a joint strategy to fight the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 5,000 people worldwide.
Apart from Modi, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, Bhutanese Premier Lotay Tshering, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and special assistant to the Pakistani prime minister on health Zafar Mirza participated in the video conference.
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In his opening address, Modi said the South Asian region has reported less than 150 coronavirus cases, but “we need to remain vigilant”.
“Prepare, but don’t panic” has been India’s guiding mantra in dealing with coronavirus outbreak, he said.
“We started screening people entering India from mid-January itself, while gradually increasing restrictions on travel,” Modi said.
A step-by-step approach helped avoid panic and India made special efforts to reach out to vulnerable groups, he said.
India also responded to the call of its people abroad and evacuated nearly 1,400 Indians from different countries, he said.
