Jharkhand govt not serious about COVID-19 threat, not conducting tests: BJP leader CP Singh

Senior BJP leader CP Singh launched an attack on state government accusing that the Hemant Soren government is still not taking COVID-19 threat seriously and it is not conducting sufficient tests.

Singh who was talking to ANI on first coronavirus positive case in Jharkhand said that the number of tests being conducted in the state is very low and only a few tests are being done every day.

"Before the first coronavirus positive case came up today, the state government were saying that no positive case had been registered in the state. I am asking that why this government is not conducting tests at massive level. They are hiding the real picture. Furthermore, one minister Alamgir Alam sent buses full of the public to Pakur despite knowing the lockdown is in force. These people were never tested. This is a clear violation," said CP Singh.

On Tuesday, a Malaysian lady living in the state tested COVID-19 positive. She had come to Ranchi from Delhi by train.

The district administration has appealed to passengers who were travelling in Delhi- Ranchi Rajdhani Express on March 16 to contact them and get checked.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country climbed to 1397 on Tuesday after 146 new infections were reported in the past 24 hours across the country. The death toll due to the COVID-19 rose to 35, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday.There are 1,238 active coronavirus cases while 124 have been cured or discharged after treatment.