Modi cautions about Covid's rapid rural spread, says don't ignore symptoms

Releases 8th installment of PM-KISAN including to over 0.7 million Bengal farmers; extends KCC renewal deadline

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Covid-19 pandemic was spreading fast in rural areas and urged people to be extra cautious and take all precautions against the “invisible enemy”.

“I want to warn you about Covid. This pandemic is spreading fast in villages. Every government is making efforts to stop this. Awareness about this among rural people and cooperation of panchayat institutes are equally important,” Modi said.

“You have never disappointed the nation. We hope this time too, to protect yourself and your families, all necessary precautions are taken,” he added.

The prime minister was speaking at the release of the eighth instalment of financial benefit under the PM-Kisan scheme via videoconferencing.

Modi said that after 100 years, such a terrible pandemic was testing the world at every step. “In front of us, we have an invisible enemy, which is multiform. 

We have lost close ones to this enemy.”

"The pain that many people have gone through, I have felt the same pain,” he said. “We are fighting with all our might. We are overcoming obstacles in resources in the fight against the second wave of corona… We will fight and we will win.”

Modi said the government was working on a “war footing” to combat the second wave and setting up new hospitals and oxygen-generating plants while augmenting supplies of medicines and vaccines.

He asked states to crack down on blackmarketing of medicines and other essential items.

He urged people not to ignore Covid symptoms like cold and fever, and immediately consult a doctor and start medication. “Get the test done, isolate yourself and start medication on time,” he said.

After vaccination too, people should not forget to follow the Covid-appropriate behavior, he added.

Unlike the first wave in 2020, when the virus had largely impacted urban centres, data and reports show that in April 2021, rural areas of the country contributed more than half of the all new cases. The trend has remained the same in the first fortnight of May 2021. Rural areas are usually categorised by much poorer health infrastructure compared to cities. India reported more than 300,000 daily infections for 22 consecutive days.