To check the attacks on health workers and doctors amid coronavirus outbreak, the Centre on Wednesday brought an ordinance with a provision of imprisonment from 6 months to 7 years to those found guilty. This comes after Home Minister Amit Shah interacted with doctors from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) via video-conference, and assured them of their safety. 

The number of coronavirus cases in India stood at 19,984 on Wednesday, including 15,474 active cases and 640 deaths. States across the country added over 50 deaths on Tuesday, the highest single-day toll since the start of the outbreak. Maharashtra reported the highest infections (5,218), followed by Gujarat (2,178) and Delhi (2,156)

This comes hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan interacted with doctors and senior representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), through a video conference, in New Delhi.

Home Minister Amit Shah interacted with doctors from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) via video-conference and assured them of their safety. The IMA, which had planned a candle-light vigil at 9 pm today to urge the government to enact a law against healthcare violence, withdrew the protest after Shah said the government was with them.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar Wednesday said the Centre will not tolerate the attacks on the healthcare workers in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic and has brought an ordinance to make it a punishable offense. In a Cabinet briefing, Javadekar said the government will amend the Epidemics Diseases Act, 1897 to make the attacks on healthcare workers a cognizable and non-bailable offense, under which a violator may be awarded a jail term of three months to five years with a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh. In cases of severe injury to workers, the jail term will be increased to six months to seven years with a fine of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in India stood at 19,984 on Wednesday, including 15,474 active cases and 640 deaths. States across the country added over 50 deaths on Tuesday, the highest single-day toll since the start of the outbreak. Maharashtra reported the highest infections (5,218), followed by Gujarat (2,178) and Delhi (2,156)