With coronavirus cases in India crossing the 70 mark, the Railways has stepped up efforts to minimise the spread of the outbreak. The national transporter, used by more than 23 million passengers every day (on an average), is critical to India's virus containment plan.

The Ministry of Railways has already taken a number of steps in view of the coronavirus outbreak that has now been declared a global pandemic.

Here are the steps Indian Railways has taken so far to contain the outbreak:

• Railways has started a massive awareness campaign. Information, Education, & Communication (IEC) material (posters and pamphlets) regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) are being prominently displayed for awareness of the general public in local languages at railway stations and in trains and are also being distributed to patients visiting hospitals and in railway colonies.

• Railway hospitals have been provided with over 1,000 isolation beds for treating suspected coronavirus cases and more than 12,000 beds for quarantining them at different locations.

• Control rooms and telephone helplines have been set up at all railway hospitals.

• Adequate preventive measures have been put in place across the country's railway system.

• In Railway hospitals, persons with fever are being separated from other patients. Separate wards with specific signage for fever cases have been set up. The Railways has also equipped the medical staff deployed in such areas with proper protective gears.

• Medical workers have been advised that if any patient of coronavirus disease is suspected or reported in any of the Railway Hospital/Health Unit in Zone/PU, the same may be informed to Railway Board and local health authorities immediately.

• All medical in-charges of Zones /PUs have been advised to be in constant touch with the respective State Authorities to obtain the guidelines/updates issued on the subjects. They have been told to take necessary detection, prevention & curative measures suggested by relevant State Authorities.

• As per reports, Railways has suspended biometric attendance as well.