Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Thursday informed that the officers of the state health department will hold a meeting with farmers who are protesting at the state borders on Thursday evening over the COVID-19 vaccination drive. He said, "Officers of the State Health Department will hold a meeting today evening with farmers, sitting in protests at Haryana borders, regarding their COVID-19 testings and vaccination. The department will begin the work after the farmer leaders agree."
The minister has expressed his concern for protesting farmers earlier as well. He had participated in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 8. Vij further said, "We will work on the guidelines given by the Prime Minister. But my concern is to protect the farmers from the coronavirus, who have gathered at the border of Haryana. I have to save them from the COVID-19."
Earlier this week, amid the massive surge in the second wave of Coronavirus, Anil Vij reiterated his concern over the issue and said, "It is my duty to worry about everyone in Haryana." The state has recorded 5650 new COVID-19 cases and 45 related deaths in the past 24 hours, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi borders – Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur since November 26 last year against the new farm laws which have been place on hold by the Supreme Court.
More than 3 lakh new coronavirus cases and over 2,000 deaths reported in India on Thursday, a record-high since the pandemic broke out last year. As per the Union Health Ministry, as many as 3,14,835 new COVID-19 cases and 2,104 deaths reported, taking the total cases to 1,59,30,965, including 22,91,428 active cases. As many as 1,34,54,880 recoveries reported so far, out of which 1,78,841 reported in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the death toll related to the infection stands at 1,84,657. The total number of vaccinations in the country stands at 13,23,30,644. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 27,27,05,103 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to April 21. Of these, 16,51,711 were tested yesterday.
