Don't panic, stay cautious, PM tells people

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, here on Thursday, urged Indians not to panic, but remain vigilant to keep the coronavirus at bay. "Say No to Panic, Say Yes to Precautions," the Prime Minister tweeted.

Stating that no Minister will travel abroad in the coming days because of the pandemic, the Prime Minister said, "I urge countrymen to also avoid non-essential travel. We can break the chain of spread and ensure safety of all by avoiding large gatherings."

Earlier, Modi had requested against large-scale Holi congregation.

He said the government was "fully vigilant" about the coronavirus situation. "Across Ministries & states, multiple steps have been taken to ensure safety of all. These steps are wide-ranging, from suspension of visas to augmenting healthcare capacities," he said.

Earlier during the day, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba wrote to the Secretaries of all ministries on dealing with the situation.

According to the Health Ministry, the Prime Minister is reviewing the situation with the top officials since the first case was declared on December 31, 2019 in Wuhan of China. The Group of Ministers (GoM), set up to monitor the preparedness to fight coronavirus, had met 6 times, it said.

Of the 73 coronavirus cases in India, 17 are foreigners. IANS