Thirty-one people in India have so far contracted coronavirus, which originated in China in December and has spread to 90 countries since then, government said on Friday. Nearly 29,000 people across the country are under watch amid virus scare.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday appealed people to remain calm and not to trust rumours about the coronavirus outbreak while advising them about the protective measures to be taken.
"I request people to not believe in hearsay and rumours on what to do and what not to do on Coronavirus, whatever doubts you have please consult your doctor. Take advise from a doctor and do not be a doctor of your own," said Prime Minister while interacting with Jan Aushadhi Yojana beneficiaries via video conference.
The Prime Minister also asked people to greet each other with "namaste" and avoid handshakes.
"The world has developed the habit of namaste to greet each other. We should also follow the same. It is better to avoid handshakes and greet everyone with namaste," PM Modi said.
According to the World Health Organisation, over 99,000 people have been infected and 3,400 deaths have been reported globally amid the outbreak.