April 3, 2020
Doing our best despite limited resources: Mamata Banerjee
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a press conference today at Nabanna Sabhaghar in the presence of the Chief Secretary and other officials.
The Chief Minister stated that there are 38 Corona-affected patients in the state as of now. Till Thursday the number of affected was 34. She also said the 6 members of the family of the deceased person from North Bengal have also contracted the virus. She said, “10 people from the same family have been reported to have contracted the virus. Four of them are already in hospital. The situation of the rest six are being looked into.”
Addressing the press the Chief Minister said, “please don’t get panicked unnecessarily due to Coronavirus.” She mentioned that there are 206 quarantine centres set up in the state where 1,892 are being kept till now. 3,218 have been released. The state has identified 59 hospitals as treatment centres for Covid-19 patients.
Highlights of her address to the press:
The state government will decide which hospitals will be requisitioned for treatment of Covid-19 patients.
According to the law, schools, colleges and hospitals can be turned into quarantine centres. But these may be a section of a hospital; the other departments are being kept at a distance
The police personnel from the state are providing blood for thalassemia patients. Kolkata Police is providing 50 units every day while Bengal Police is providing 1249 units.
There is some good news. All 37 persons admitted at Beleghata ID Hospital are doing well, 9 of them are scheduled to return home by today.
Nine more persons have been fully cured, taking the total to 12 persons who have been fully cured of the virus in the State so far
There are 38 active cases now
52,000 people are under home quarantine at various places in the State.
5,110 persons are still in 206 quarantine centres
We have to be humanitarian. If a person dies, he will have to be cremated, and the public should understand this
All essential supplies are available throughout the state; the police are maintaining law and order, plus doing a lot of additional work, including holding blood donation camps
The role of police is exceptional, can only happen in Bengal
Many departments are working full time like health, police, food, municipal etc.
A lot of work is being done, but in between there may be some slip-ups
Some people are saying why did I not get it. It could be masks, equipment, rations. Please be assured, all will get, please have patience. Please cooperate
11 lakh PPE suits were ordered, of which 1.67 lakh have been received and distributed in the districts
7 lakh N-95 masks ordered, about 66,000 received
4 lakh two-layer masks have been ordered: we have received so far 3.09 lakh
8 lakh three-layer masks have been ordered; we have received so far 3.5 lakh
Sanitiser also has been procured; 29,000 litres ordered, majority received; all hospitals have been supplied
35.1 lakh social pensions have been disbursed, despite huge financial constraints
Salaries have reached on April 1 itself
There is no earning, only burning – the State has spent a huge amount over the last few days of lockdown with hardly any earnings; many states have given only 50% salaries
I am very thankful for the cooperation received from all quarters
Media personnel, please be careful. Mikes and booms – are they sanitised? When you go back home, are you changing clothes, having a proper wash? You have to take care of yourselves, otherwise who will provide information?
A few doctors have become infected; tomorrow I may become infected. So we must observe all precautions
Ration and medicine shop owners, please ensure that customers maintain safe distance
Several cases where the virus has spread within the family – 4 to 10 members in a family infected
Population in Bengal is very high with three international borders. So we have to be very careful
Those who have other ailments like diabetes, asthma, kidney, heart problems and others must be extra careful
