Nitish asks people to stay away from COVID-19 related rumours

Patna, Apr 10 () Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar onFriday asked people not to pay heed to rumours linked toCOVID-19 and urged them to maintain love, harmony andbrotherhood for successfully facing challenge of the deadlyvirus. Kumar instructed Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar and DirectorGeneral of Police (DGP) Gupteshwar Pandey to involve all theDistrict Magistrates and Superintendents of Police to ensurethat any kind of rumours vis--vis coronavirus transmissiondonot spread among the citizens. Kumar, who held a high-level review meeting on thecoronavirus situation in the state, urged people to maintaindiscipline during COVID-19 triggered lockdown which would helpthe state break the chain of the virus transmission. The chief minister asked officials to keep a close watchover the situation in Siwan and other places from wherereports of COVID-19 cases are coming and initiate timelyaction as per the established protocol. Siwan, with close to 30 coronavirus positive cases, hasemerged as a hotspot for the virus. Kumar appealed to the people having any apprehension aboutthe infection to visit the testing centre to help their familymembers and people around them stay safe. People, who have either undertaken foreign tours or havecome from other states, should not hide their travel historyas it would not only pose danger to them but also to those whomight have come in their contacts, he said.Kumar also directed officials to ensure that citizensmaintain social distancing while venturing out to buyessential items in the markets. As per the State Health Societys bulletin issued on Fridayevening, total number of positive coronavirus cases stood at60 with one death in the state. One person hailing from Mungerhad died on March 21 last. Out of 5485 samples tested so far, 5421 have been foundnegative while four have been rejected, the bulletin said. ARSNS SNS