Health Ministry launches new toll-free number and email ID
New Delhi: As India sees a surge in novel coronavirus cases, the Union Health Ministry on Monday activated a toll-free 24x7 national helpline number, 1075, to address queries related to the infection.
The previous helpline number, 011-239 78046, will also remain operational, the ministry officials said.
Besides the toll-free numbers, the ministry also issued a helpline email ID [email protected].
The Ministry of External Affairs also on Monday launched helplines for those seeking assistance in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The MEA has been pulling out all the stops to ensure the safety of Indians abroad and has set up a special cell to coordinate on issues related with the response to the pandemic that has claimed more than 5,000 lives worldwide.
"All hands on deck! @MEAIndia's helplines for COVID-19 Control Centre are open. Control Room: 1800118797 (toll free), +91- 11- 23012113, +91- 11- 23014104, +91- 11- 23017905," MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
He also shared a fax number — +91- 011-23018158 -- and an email address — [email protected] — for those wanting to reach out to the ministry in connection with issues related to the outbreak.
Additional Secretary Dammu Ravi has been appointed as the point person for coordinating the response to COVID-19. He has four other officers and staff members to support him, officials said.
"Our missions abroad are working round the clock and responding to queries from Indian nationals abroad. Missions have set up their helplines and are proactively responding to queries over phone and emails as well as using social media platforms to reach the Indian community members in these countries," an official had said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla are personally monitoring the situation, the officials said.
The number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 114 with one new case each reported in Ladakh, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, the officials said on Monday.
This number includes 13 people who have been discharged after they recovered and two fatalities, they said.
The 114 figure also includes 17 foreigner nationals.
Meanwhile, the eastern state of Odisha has reported its first case.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had on Sunday reviewed the status of actions taken by states and union territories for prevention and containment of the disease and directed officials to scale up the capacity of the round-the-clock control room helpline in view of increased volume of queries.
He reviewed in great detail the steps taken by the states to foster 'social distancing' in great detail and advised them to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in hospitals, and adhere to all laid down protocols for containment and management of the disease, the ministry said.
The Centre as part of its measures to contain the spread of the disease has announced that people will be allowed to travel only through 19 of 37 land border checkposts from Saturday midnight and services of the Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses will continue to remain suspended till April 15.
Pilgrimage and registration for Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan has also been suspended since Sunday midnight.
The government has also suspended movement of all types of passengers through international border points with Pakistan from 00:00 hours of March 16 in view of the threat from coronavirus.
"In wake of COVID19 India outbreak, as a precautionary measure to contain and control spread of the disease, the travel and registration for Sri Kartarpur Sahib is temporarily suspended from 00:00 hours on March 16, 2020, till further orders," a home ministry spokesperson said.
