President of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen on Tuesday complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the extraordinary steps taken by his government in containing the deadly coronavirus and COVID 19.
During the telephonic conversation, Der Leyen praised Modi for taking early measures to combat COVID-19 pandemic. PM Modi had, on Tuesday, announced a 21-day national lockdown starting at midnight on March 24.
During the telephonic conversation, Leyen expressed her appreciation for India’s help to European nationals stuck in the country while Modi expressed his condolence over the deaths in Europe.
During his televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi, while announcing a 21-day complete lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, said that the 21-day curfew was necessary for breaking the transmission cycle of the virus.
The PM said it is in a way a curfew and would be more stringent than Janata Curfew of March 22. “Forget about leaving home in the next 21 days. If you cross the Lakshman Rekha, you will invite the virus home,” PM warned citizens.
“The experts themselves have advised across the globe that the only effective way to fight the virus is social distancing,” the PM said.
“If we are not able to manage the upcoming 21 days, we will be pushed back 21 years,” he said adding, “This is applicable to everyone, even to Prime Minister.”
Meanwhile, there are currently 584 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in India, while 12 people have so far died from COVID-19.