Hind Life and Education Trust distribute free meals, masks, and sanitizers in Bihar

INDIA (Patna)

March 23, 2020

In order to adopt some preventive measures against WHO-declared ‘pandemic’, COVID-19, the Hind Life and Education Trust (HLET) of India has distributed meals, face masks and sanitizers for free during the second fortnight of March. The HLET, which has the mandate to work in health and education sectors, distributed face masks and hand sanitizers to 25000 plus poor men and women including pedestrians and bystanders in about 25 cities, towns and villages of the eastern state of Bihar.

Logistically supported by Nigar Khan, an HLET trustee, the drive is to make people aware about steps to do daily cleanliness and to take preventive measures to drive away the Coronavirus. The HLET volunteers also taught curious commoners about WHO-recommended steps of cleanliness to prevent the widespread virus. The total number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in India have gone up to 433 in the country on March 23, as per the health ministry website.

The state governments have announced a lockdown in over 80 cities across India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru. The states going into lockdown till March 31 include those where coronavirus cases have been reported – Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Telangana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry and Uttarakhand.

Referring to the efforts of HELT, Nigar said that “the Trust is cautiously making awareness drive about prevention measures besides distributing masks and sanitizers.” She said that the HELT drive has been to reach out to those people who do not have access to masks and sanitizers, due to various reasons including unavailability in the market. A large number of people, under poverty line, can not afford to buy food, mask and sanitizers, said Nigar, while referring to the second stage of drive to be launched by HELT soon.

She said, “We are trying to approach the bus and auto-rickshaw drivers and the general people who cannot afford to buy a sanitizer or a mask. We have got thousands of masks and sanitizers and we are trying to collect more for free distribution.” There are a few more charity organizations in India, which are also distributing free sanitation products around the cities and villages as part of ongoing efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

With the first Covid-19 death reported in Bihar on March 22, the state authorities have stepped up vigilance by screening more than 5,000 people returning to the state from various metropolitan cities. On March 22, the day Bihar celebrates its statehood day, the state joined the list of states where the deadly novel coronavirus has emerged as a major threat.

The 38-year-old resident of Munger district died of Covid-19 on Saturday, however, his death was reported on Sunday. He was admitted to Patna-based All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Friday for kidney ailments. Though the person was admitted for kidney ailments and died on Saturday, while on dialysis, the doctors noticed that he was also suffering from severe respiratory issues, following which his swab samples were sent for medical examination.

The Covid-19 test results, which reached on Sunday, confirmed him as Bihar’s first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus. There are at least six more suspected patients in AIIMS who are currently awaiting their test results. Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared an ex gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh to kin of patients who died due to novel coronavirus.

Nitish Kumar has already announced that his state government will bear the treatment costs of coronavirus patients. Now, with more than 5,000 migrants returning to Bihar from various metro cities, the state authorities have switched to an alert mode. Anyone returning to Bihar is being screened at railway stations. The suspected cases are to be taken in isolation. Reports suggest that the inbound passengers have formed long queues at many railway stations.

On the national level, the death toll from the novel coronavirus in India increased to nine after a man in Kolkata succumbed to the infection on Monday. Hospital authorities confirmed that a 55-year-old patient who was confirmed to be coronavirus positive died on Monday. According to authorities at the AMRI Hospital in Kolkata, the man was diagnosed last week and had been undergoing treatment since then. The deceased also had a history of heart ailments.

The patient had travelled to Italy as his family lived there. So far, government authorities have not confirmed the death. The West Bengal health department said that it is awaiting the details of the case. The man was reportedly employed in the railways. Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal condoled his death and said, “Came to know the sad news of the demise of a railways employee in West Bengal due to coronavirus. To save yourself from the pandemic, please remain alert and follow every precaution. This is very important for the safety of you and your family.”

Covid-19 cases in India rose to 415, Union health ministry said, as much of the country locked down on Monday with the Centre warning of legal action against those violating the restrictions enforced to curtail the pandemic, which has claimed more than 14,500 lives globally. At present, there are seven confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in West Bengal.

With the latest casualty, the death toll due to the novel coronavirus pandemic has risen to eight in India. Gujarat, Bihar and Maharashtra reported a death each on Sunday.  Four deaths were earlier reported from Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra and Punjab. Faced with an unprecedented situation arising out of the coronavirus breakout, the Centre and state governments of India have decided to take extraordinary measures and impose restrictions.

Those living in 80 districts across the country, including in the national capital Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai have been placed under travel and movement restrictions with authorities suspending all passenger train and inter-state bus services till March 31.