Ensure people returning to Bihar do not face problems: Nitish to officials

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told officials on Sunday to ensure that the people returning to Bihar from other states do not face any problem.

He told the officials to have a better coordination with all the states so that those willing to return to Bihar do not face any difficulties.

The chief minister said a screening of all those coming from outside the state should promptly be carried out and the testing of every person showing symptoms of COVID-19 must be carried out according to the protocol.

The first "Shramik Special" train to Bihar, carrying 1,187 stranded migrant labourers, reached the Danapur railway station from Rajasthan's Jaipur on Saturday afternoon.

Kumar held a review meeting with Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar and other senior officials on the steps being taken to contain the spread of COVID-19 and measures being taken for the people coming from outside the state.

"The quarantine centres at the block and panchayat level (in schools) must have excellent food, shelter, sanitation and medical facilities. Toilets and bathrooms should be in adequate numbers and hygienic conditions should be maintained there. Social-distancing norms should be followed everywhere," the chief minister said at the meeting, according to an official release.

It should be ensured that those kept at the quarantine centres do not come across any difficulty, he said, adding that all vehicles meant to ferry the people coming from outside up to the district and block-level quarantine centres must be sanitised properly.

The chief secretary informed Kumar that 5.76 crore people of 1.05 crore households have so far been surveyed through the door-to-door screening, which is being carried out in the state since April 16 on the lines of the pulse polio drive to identify COVID-19 infected people in all the districts.

At least 3,420 people showed symptoms of common diseases such as cold, cough and fever, the chief secretary said.

The chief minister directed the officials concerned to carry out a sample-testing of all these people on a priority basis and take necessary and follow-up action according to the protocol.

Contact-tracing, sample collection and testing need to be ramped up so that the chain of coronavirus is broken, Kumar said, while asking the health department to ensure the availability and supplies of medicines, testing kits, personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and other necessary equipment.

Referring to information made available by the health department, Kumar said 25 per cent of all those who got infected with the coronavirus in the state have recovered, which shows that there is no need to panic.

People with symptoms such as cough, fever and breathing problems should immediately report for testing at the designated testing centres, he said.

The chief minister appealed to people "to stay indoors and be safe and secured and follow social-distancing norms as it is the only effective way to protect oneself from getting infected with the coronavirus".