Combating COVID-19: 12.5 lakh people in 27,661 relief camps across India

As many as 27,661 relief camps and shelters have been set up in all the States across India and 12.5 lakh people are taking shelter there amid the nationwide lockdown, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Punya Salila Srivastava said on Sunday.

New Delhi [India], April 5 : As many as 27,661 relief camps and shelters have been set up in all the States across India and 12.5 lakh people are taking shelter there amid the nationwide lockdown, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Punya Salila Srivastava said on Sunday.

"A total of 27,661 relief camps and shelters have been set up in all States across India -- 23,924 by governments and 3,737 by NGOs. 12.5 lakh people are taking shelter there. 19,460 food camps have also been set up-- 9,951 by governments and 9,509 by NGOs," Srivastava told media here during the daily briefing.

"More than 75 lakh people are being provided with food. As many as 13.6 lakh workers are being provided shelter and food by their employers and industry," she added.

Srivastava also said that State governments are following the guidelines under lockdown and the situation of essential goods and services is satisfactory.

The number of coronavirus cases in India has surged past 3,500 with 505 new cases in the last 24 hours from across the country.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country has gone up to 3,577 as on Sunday. So far, 83 people have died of the coronavirus.

( With inputs from ANI )