New Delhi, Mar 17 (IANS): Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday reviewed preparedness of states along India's eastern borders over measures to combat coronavirus outbreak. The review exercise on Tuesday covered 12 states bordering Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The Home Secretary held a video conference with administrative and police department heads of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, besides Secretary Border Management and Directors General (DsG) of BSF, SSB, and Assam Rifles.

The states informed the Home Secretary that regular screening is being done by doctors at various transit points and the community in border areas has been sensitized through gram sabhas about the precautions to be followed for avoiding infection.

The Home Secretary urged officials to ensure round-the-clock deployment of doctors with requisite testing kits and other medical supplies so that hundred per cent screening is achieved.

The COVID-19 outbreak in India has been steadily rising with cases being reported from many states. On Monday the number of confirmed cases in the country rose to 137, with three people reported dead.