In Bhopal, 22 new cases reached hospitals. They included 3 doctors, 8 health workers, and a two-year-old child who happens to be the son of a doctor. There is also a very encouraging report from a hospital in Bhopal in which 27 indoor patients may be discharged in a day or two. The spokesman of the hospital said all the 27 patients are responding to the treatment at a very fast rate.

So far at the political level Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was handling the situation alone. It is for the first time that he chose to hold consultation with former Chief Ministers. He consulted former CMs Kamal Nath, Uma Bharati and Digvijaya Singh and sought their views on tackling the corona crisis. “I talked to former Chief ministers of the state Uma Bharati, Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh over the phone, apprised them about the efforts taken by the state government and requested them to give their suggestions on tackling of Covid-19 threat in the state. We all will fight together and win,” tweeted Chouhan in the afternoon.

When asked what suggestions he had given to the CM, Digvijaya Singh told media persons: “I have written a letter in response to the CM’s request over the phone for suggestions on how to tackle Covid-19. I would send him the same today itself”.

Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath also on Friday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressing concern over the insufficient number of tests being conducted for Covid-19 infections.

Nath suggested that together with RT-PCR tests, government should opt for the less expensive antibody tests for cities like Indore and Bhopal where the infection is spreading rapidly.

“It us a matter of concern that compared to other countries in the world, we are testing very few. For every 10 lakh people, the national average is 121 tests. And in Madhya Pradesh the numbers are just 55 (till April 8 only 4056 tests were conducted on a total population of 7.25 crore)” Nath said in the letter.

Nath’s letter argued that in Germany 15,730 tests were done for every 10 lakh people In Switzerland it was 19,367 tests and Norway conducted 21,009 tests.

Even a small country like Chile tested 3,159 persons. The former chief minister suggested “The present RT-PCR test should be maintained though it takes longer time. But because this test works first on changing RNA to DNA before testing for Coronavirus it takes longer time as more money”.

The former CM argued that one RT-PCR test costs Rs.4,500 whereas antibody test takes about 30 minutes and does not require experts.

“The test can be done by taking small blood sample and costs only Rs. 300. We must conduct this test in cities like Indore and Bhopal where the infection is spreading rapidly. Along with RT-PCR, also conduct the antibody test” he wrote on twitter. He also paid homage to the second doctor who died treating Coronavirus patients in Indore.

Besides difficulties being faced in providing medical facilities to the affected persons people are not getting essential commodities to meet their daily needs. How difficult the situation is became clear when a group of women sat on dharna in Bhopal and threatened to commit suicide if they were not given ration immediately. While starting their dharna they said that they have nothing to eat and along with their children have reached starvation point. They said that if they go to the ration shop they are turned back. If the approach corporation officials they are threatened of Police action. When such is the situation in Bhopal what may be the state of affairs in remote areas.

Meanwhile the Police has booked a large number of tablighi jamatis on the charge of violation of various provisions of law. Those booked include 64 foreigners, 13 Indians and also those who helped them. Foreigners have been accused of violating Visa provisions. The Police has forwarded their cases to external affairs ministry. Most of the jamatis are being treated in hospital. Besides the jamatis a large number of people have been booked on the charge of violating lockdown restrictions. (IPA Service)