As coronavirus has been spreading rapidly across the globe, so is the case with India too. But in several states and union territories of India, positive cases have not been found yet. Pre-emptive precautions have been taken by the state governments and UT administration to contain the penetration of deadly COVID-19 in such territories. So, what all are these states doing right and what cue the rest of India can take from them?

Note: Data based on government source published as on March 31, 2020

Which Indian states still don’t have coronavirus cases?

Assam

Assam had no testing centre. The first one has been set up by the Indian Council of Medical Research ICMR. Currently, the state has three centres. With the effort of the state government, Assam has enough testing kits. The state government has mobilised PPE (personal protective equipment) kits and other medical equipment, such as medicines. Assam government has taken severe steps in containing COVID-19.

The excise department of the state, along with 11 liquor manufacturing factories in the state, has started producing hand sanitizers to keep up with the requirements in the region. The Assam Excise Department said that the initiative has been taken following a series of discussions between state Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya and the liquor manufacturing companies in the state.

• It has transformed two stadiums, including the Saru Sojai Stadium in Guwahati, into makeshift quarantine facilities with a total of 2,000 beds.
• They are ensuring that all 33 districts have designated treatment centres for coronavirus patients.
• It has also directed three state-run medical colleges, with a total of 5,000 beds, to serve as COVID-19 treatment centres.
• Philanthropists such as 42-year-old Krishna Mahanta – a resident of Kaliabor area in Assam’s Nagaon district, wishes to donate ten bigha land (about 4.005 acres) to the Assam government to construct a hospital for treatment of the COVID-19 patients.
• “More than 5 lakh litres of sanitisers will be supplied free of cost by liquor companies in the state. As per the demand of the Assam health department, the liquor companies will be supplied five crore bottles of 200 ml of sanitisers,” Assam Excise department PRO Sailen Pandey said.

Arunachal Pradesh

• All samples of Coronavirus (COVID-19) have tested negative in Arunachal Pradesh, informed the Health Department of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Chief Minister Pema Khandu also tweeted that,” So far, 19 samples have been collected from the state have tested negative.”
• All the migrant people have passed through the screening test.
• The government will enforce “complete safety restrictions” from 5 pm on Monday till March 31, he said, adding that the step has been taken as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the virus in the state.
• All shops, commercial establishments, offices, factories and workshops shall also shut their operations.
• “Any person found violating this order shall be prosecuted as per the relevant provisions of law,” Kumar said.
• All essential services will be allowed during the period, according to a notification issued by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on Sunday night.
• “No public transport services, including operation of taxis, auto-rickshaws, will be permitted except transport of all kinds to and from hospitals, airport, helipad, railway stations, and goods carriers carrying food and essential commodities,” the notification said.
• All shops, commercial establishments, offices, factories and workshops shall also shut their operations.
• People are required to stay at home and carry out only essential services while strictly following social distancing guidelines, the chief secretary said.
• “Any person found violating this order shall be prosecuted as per the relevant provisions of law,” Kumar said.
• Supplies of foodgrains, groceries, vegetable, fruits, meat, fish, bread, milk, medical services, pharmacies and banks and ATMs among others have been exempted from the purview of the lockdown.
• Kumar said that people who come out to provide or avail essential services shall be allowed on their self-declaration.
• The chief secretary urged people not to panic and assured them that the state has sufficient stock of essential commodities that will last at least 45 days.
• “We urge people to remain calm and not to resort to panic buying as all essential commodities are not restricted. Senior officials have been deputed in each district as nodal officers to follow up on the implementation of the lockdown,” Kumar said.
• People of the state are standing shoulder to shoulder with the state government in containing deadly COVID-19.

Jharkhand

• The Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren called for a high-level meeting in Ranchi in the wake of COVID-19
• The CM has urged to take all possible steps to cope with COVID-19 outbreak.
• IPC 144 has been imposed in the state since the lockdown.
• Overall, 64 suspected cases were reported, but no positive case has been found in the state yet.
• Police have been deployed at all the check-posts and are searching for possible symptoms in the people.
• Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said his government has decided to provide two months ration in advance to the beneficiaries of the public distribution system.
• Around 90 per cent of the families in the state will benefit from this decision, he said.
• “Rest assured, your son or brother is continuously making efforts to help the people of Jharkhand,” Soren said in a tweet on Wednesday.
• He also appealed to the people to abide by the 21-day lockdown order to prevent the spread of the disease.
• Jharkhand has not reported any COVID-19 case so far.
• The government had also assured people that it has sufficient food items in stock to last for several days.
• *A foreign national from Malaysia has tested positive with coronavirus, the patient has been kept in isolation and authorities are working so that the transmission doesn’t happen to any Indian national.

Meghalaya

• Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma took to the streets in Shillong on Friday to educate people about the practice of social distancing as the number of coronavirus cases continues to spike across the country.
• In a video that was shared widely on social media on Friday, Mr Sangma can be seen talking to people while directing them to maintain a distance of at least one metre between them.
• “This disease spreads by coming in close contact with each other. It’s for your good; he was seen telling people. Please follow the marks drawn on the roads,” he added.
• The state has a medical volunteer team. People call them, and they make sure that people stay in self-isolation and are treated.

Sikkim

• Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Golay chaired a high-level meeting of the State Task Force for coronavirus prevention at Samman Bhawan in Gangtok on Friday.
• The meeting was convened to take stock of the preparedness of the state and to come up with immediate measures to provide relief to the people in the wake of the 21-day lockdown throughout the country to contain COVID-19 pandemic.
• Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Monday banned the entry of foreign and domestic tourists into the state and shut down public places such as educational institutes till April 15 because of novel coronavirus outbreak.
• He also appealed to the people of Sikkim to avoid travelling outside the state unless it is an emergency.
• There will be a complete ban on visits of even domestic tourists in Sikkim, the chief minister said.
• The Tourism Guest House at Rangpo will be converted to a quarantine centre, and similar arrangements will be made at Melli, he said.
• All government and private schools, colleges and universities and public places such as discos, casinos, gyms, fairs and festivals will remain closed till April 15, the chief minister said after a high-level meeting in Gangtok.
• Students should stay put in Sikkim and refrain from travelling outside even if it means travelling to their home states, Tamang said.
• He asked people to take these decisions positively as nothing is more important than public health and life.
• “Sikkim is fortunate to have not a single case of coronavirus, but we should continue to take all precautionary measures,” the chief minister said.
• Likewise, families having two or fewer members not with a government job will be provided with 10 kg rice, two kg of dal, two litres of cooking oil, five kg of potatoes and two kg onion.
• The chief minister also announced daily wage of Rs 30 would be provided to the labourers working in all pharma companies functioning in the state throughout the lockdown.
• The State Government has also decided to provide insurance to all these frontline warriors.
• The government has permitted the State Bank of Sikkim to allow a three-month moratorium on all loans.
• As reported in Sikkim so far but 3,269 people have been quarantined as a precautionary measure, a health official said on Friday.
• Three persons suspected to be infected with coronavirus have tested negative to the disease, he said.

Tripura

• Tripura became the fifth state to ban entry of foreign tourists, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
• Dr Radha Debbarma, who is the nodal officer to prevent coronavirus in Tripura, informed that six persons who have developed symptoms of coronavirus were also tested negative.
• The state government has also directed to close the entire private coaching centre and all the hostels in the state.
• Earlier the State Government imposed section 144 across State till April 15.
• Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday said 68,304 persons had been screened and 143 persons are in quarantine facilities. Still, not a single positive case of coronavirus infection has been reported in the state so far.
• Deb reviewed the preparedness to deal with coronavirus outbreak in a video conference with district magistrates, chief medical officers and superintendents of police.
• Deb said all seven land customs in the state had been closed. Though Agartala-Akhaura check-post along the India-Bangladesh border is open, screening is conducted on persons entering the state from the neighbouring country.
• He said quarantined persons would be able to buy food from designated restaurants through selected caterers.

Nagaland

• As per an official of the state government, over 2,500 people have recently returned from other parts of the country they were placed under home quarantine in Nagaland, where no person has so far tested positive.
• A total of 2,719 people, including students, who recently came back to the state, reported to the respective district surveillance teams and were subsequently placed under home quarantine for the stipulated period.
• A unique action group on coronavirus in Nagaland on Thursday asked faith-based organisations to play a role in disseminating information to create awareness about personal hygiene.
• The group appealed the same at an emergency meeting with various faith-based organisations in Kohima. It also asked people to contact the COVID-19 helpline for assistance.
• The Nagaland government constituted the nine-member group on Tuesday to monitor the situation.
• Principal secretary and home commissioner Abhijit Sinha, who heads the group, said the only weapon to fight the virus is containment and personal hygiene,”
• No positive cases have been detected in Nagaland so far.
• The update, as of 6 pm of March 20, said that Dimapur Airport has screened 2,202 persons. Similarly, over 21,387 persons have been screened at the entry points to the state (by railway and roadways).

Lakshadweep

• As part of precautionary measures against the coronavirus in Lakshadweep, the administration has decided to stop the entry of foreign tourists to the islands.
• However, the entry would be allowed only after the proper screening of the passengers.
• No positive case has been found hers so far.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli

• Shops are shut in Silvassa
• Despite no positive case, people are taking the precautionary measure to combat COVID-19.
• Medical staff leaves have been cancelled

The government, along with general people are active 24*7 to face any situation regarding novel coronavirus. Hence, no positive cases have been found in such states and UTs yet.

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