Praising the government and healthcare workers for their efforts to control the spread of coronavirus, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla stated on Sunday that the Covid-19 situation in India is better than elsewhere. 

"Everyone is looking at India today, our Covid management is one of the major reasons why. It was all possible because of the government, healthcare workers and a common goal to tame the virus," said Poonawalla at the inauguration ceremony of Bharti Super Speciality Hospital, Pune.

"I have been all over the world but the Covid situation in India is better than anywhere else. I would urge everyone to stay in India," he added. 

39 int'l travellers test Covid positive at airports across country
Covid testing at airportsIANS

Following this, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took to Twitter to laud SII and its CEO for their contribution in the fight against Covid-19. 

"We have seen the work done by the Serum Institute team, Aadhar and Cyrusji to show the world what power India is on the back of the world. We are proud of this leadership and team!," Fadnavis wrote on Twitter. 

".@adarpoonawalla ji, We always wanted to say Thank You. The entire nation wanted to say Thank You. So, it is on behalf of the entire nation we say 'Thank You for saving us'!," he added. 

Centre on Covid situation 

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said earlier last week that cases of new coronavirus variants are rising globally and that necessary precautions are being taken. He also said that any traveller from one of the five listed countries must present a negative RTPCR report upon arrival. 

coronavirus
Coronavirus in India [Representation image]IANS

"There are five listed countries from which any traveller must submit a negative RT-PCR report. Last week Covid positive passengers raised to 120 cases. All positive passengers were sent to isolation centres for treatment," Mandaviya was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The central government has made it mandatory for travellers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand to furnish a negative RT-PCR test report from January 1. 

Covid cases today

According to data from the Union health ministry, as many as 170 more people tested positive for Covid-19 across the country in the last 24 hours. In the same duration, the tally of active cases declined by 52 to rest at 2,371. 

India has so far seen 4,46,80,094 cases of coronavirus.