New Delhi, Mar 27 (IANS): The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday said that it has given orders to Public Sector Undertakings to provide ventilators in order to handle the surge in novel coronavirus cases in the country.

Joint Health Secretary of the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said, "The government is taking preemptive and proactive approach to tackle the situation. In order to upgrade the number of ventilators in the country," adding "We have given an order to PSU to provide 10,000 ventilators. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which is one of the Defence Ministry's PSUs, has also been requested to purchase 30,000 additional ventilators in 1-2 months."

Agarwal said at least 1.4 lakh companies have allowed their employees to work from home as per government's request. "Around 1.4 lakh companies allowed employees allowed work from home after our appeal of social distancing and lockdown."

"75 new cases of coronavirus and 4 deaths have been reported in 24 hours. Most deceased persons were either diabitic, or had a heart problem or hypertension. Mostly were elderly patients," he said.

Informing the media about tele-medicine, an initiative by the health sector to cater to patients in the absence of Out Patient Service at the hospitals, Agarwal said, "We have issued national Telemedicine guidelines. It is a facility through which patient can consult doctors sitting home."

In the wake of coronavirus spread in the country all OPDs have been closed.

"Our country is well technically equipped to use tele consultancy" said Agarwal. He also added "additional teams from centre have been sent to those states where which are most affected due to novel coronavirus."