Almost 45,000-50,000 Covid tests are being conducted in state everyday: Bihar CM

Patna (Bihar) [India], December 25 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said that the state is on alert amid the global surge in Coronavirus infection and asserted that over 40 thousand tests are being conducted here regularly.

“We are conducting Covid tests and giving vaccines. Almost 45,000-50,000 tests are being conducted every day. Bihar is on alert and the patients are being provided treatment. The Center is also careful but we have to be more cautious with the people who are coming from foreign,” Nitish Kumar said.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday announced that RT-PCR test has been made mandatory for passengers coming from five countries including China.

“The RT-PCR test to be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. On arrival, if any passenger from these countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for Covid-19 infection, then he/she will be put under quarantine,” Health Minister Mandaviya said in a conversation with ANI.

He also said that the Air Suvidha form filling to declare the current health status will also be made compulsory for international passengers arriving from these Asian countries.

Taking note of the rising cases of COVID globally, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said that the Centre and States need to work in “tandem” and in a “collaborative spirit” as was done during the previous surges.

Bihar Chief Minister made the above statement after paying tribute to former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also said that he got the opportunity to work under the leadership of Vajpayee and underscored that his dedication towards the development of the nation cannot be forgotten.

Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India from May 16 1996 to June 1 1996 and from 19 March 1998 to 22 May 2004. He also served as India’s External Affairs Minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Moraji Desai from 1977 to 1979. He passed away at AIIMS hospital in Delhi on 16 August 2018.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his Birth Anniversary at his memorial Sadaiv Atal.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and union minister Hardeep Singh Puri were among several dignitaries who offered their tribute to the late Prime Minister.

After coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to honour the former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna recipient, declared that December 25 would be celebrated as “Good Governance Day” every year