New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a video conference with leaders and representatives from SAARC nations on Sunday (March 15, 2020) to come up with a strategy to fight the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 5,000 people worldwide.


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PM Modi, who led the conference, began his address by cautioning that despite less number of coronavirus cases from the South Asian region "we need to remain vigilant".


He said "Prepare, but don't panic" has been India's guiding mantra in dealing with coronavirus outbreak.


"We started screening people entering India from mid-January itself, while gradually increasing restrictions on travel," Modi said, adding "A step-by-step approach helped avoid panic and India made special efforts to reach out to vulnerable groups." According to officials, the total number of passengers screened at the airport so far is 12,29,363. 


Modi mentioned India's response to call of help by its citizens abroad and that nearly 1,400 Indians have been evacuated from different coronavirus-hit nations along with rescuing some citizens of neighbouring countries as well.


In attendance for the conference were Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bhutanese premier Lotay Tshering, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Special Assistant to Pakistani Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza.


On Friday, Modi had called on the SAARC nations for a formulation of a joint strategy to fight coronavirus which was backed by all the member nations.


In India, so far the number of positive cases of coronavirus is at 107, which includes 17 foreign nationals. Among these, nine have been cured and two have died, as per figures provided by the Health Ministry on Sunday (March 15).


While around the world, at least 1,45,374 cases of coronavirus have been reported and more than 5,400 people have lost their lives due to the virus. 


Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a global pandemic.