Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the country’s senior-most bureaucrat, in a letter to all chief secretaries on Thursday, admitted that there was a gap between the number of international passengers who need to be monitored by the States /UTs and the actual number of passengers being monitored.
He said, “We initiated screening of international incoming passengers at the airports with effect from 18th January 2020. I have been informed that upto 23rd March 2020, cumulatively, Bureau of immigration has shared details of more than 15 lakh incoming international passengers with the States/UTs for monitoring for COVID-19. However, there appears to be a gap between the number of International passengers who need to be monitored by the States /UTs and ihe actual number of passengers being monitored.”
Gauba further added that this may seriously jeopardise India’s efforts to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of 24,136 people and infected 537,569 globally so far.
“This may seriously jeopardise our efforts to contain spread of COVID 19, given that many amongst the persons who have tested positive for COVID 19 so far in India have history of international travel. It is important that they are put under close surveillance to prevent the spread of the epidemic. I understand that Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has repeatedly emphasised this and requested the States and UTs to take immediate steps in this regard,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary further requested all chief secretaries to ensure that concerted and sustained action was taken urgently to put such passengers under surveillance immediately as per MOHFW guidelines. “I would also urge you to actively involve the district authorities in this effort,” he added.
Meanwhile, total number of coronavirus positive cases in the country rose to 724 (including 66 cured/discharged persons and 17 deaths) on Friday, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.