Coronavirus: Bengal forms Rs. 200 crore fund, schools closed till April 15, stadiums, auditoriums, cinemas to remain closed

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the formation of Rs. 200 crore state fund to tackle the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in the state. She was addressing a press conference after holding an urgent meeting on COVID-19 situation at state administrative headquarters Nabanna.
The state has ordered two lakh personal protective equipment (PPE), ply masks and N-95 masks each along with 300 ventilator units and 10,000 thermal guns for thermal screening of COVID-19 suspects.
Closure of all the educational institutions has been extended from March 31 to April 15. The state will send two kilos of rice and potatoes each to the homes of students at various Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres in the state daily during this period.
All stadiums, auditoriums, cinemas will remain suspended till March 31. Further decisions in the matter will be taken after holding a review meeting on March 30.
All offices have to maintain hand sanitizers outside offices for employees. Banerjee also announced a health insurance scheme of Rs. 5 lakh for around 10 lakh health workers and security personnel who may risk their health while working.
Meanwhile, a woman from Picnic Garden was admitted to Beliaghata Infectious Diseases (ID) Hospital of Kolkata on Monday as a suspect case. She had travelled to Mumbai recently.
A six-bed isolation ward will start from Tuesday at NRS Medical College and Hospital. An outdoor fever clinic will also start from Tuesday to prevent the interaction of people with possible symptoms for COVID-19 and other patients.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Monday decided to shut down the major theatres in the city till March 31. People who have purchased tickets for shows during the said period will have their money refunded.
The state forest department has decided to close 12 zoos under it till March 31. Forest tourism during this period will also remain suspended.
The state has also opened a help desk at Kolkata’s NSC Bose International Airport to reduce the delay between reporting of COVID-19 suspects and quarantining them. The help desk officials will directly send the suspects from airport to isolation centres from now.
All proceedings in Calcutta High Court will remain suspended till March 21, it was decided by State Bar Council on Monday. The council will meet again on March 20 to review the situation for taking further decisions in the matter.
The state Assembly will remain adjourned from Wednesday till March 26, it was decided on Monday.