Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with doctors and other frontline health workers of Varanasi. During the interaction, he choked with emotions as he expressed his gratitude towards them for working tirelessly to combat COVID-19, PTI reported. PM Modi won the Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi in 2014 and 2019.

“Varanasi has set a great example by the way it has equipped Pt Rajan Mishra COVID hospital and increased the number of oxygen beds and ICU beds in the city, in such a short span of time,” PM Modi said during the interaction, ANI reported. 

Uttar Pradesh on Thursday recorded 238 fresh deaths and 6,725 new cases, pushing the total infection tally to 16,51,532.

Speaking about the efforts for tackling the second wave of the pandemic in Varanasi, he said, “Vaccination has provided protection to our frontline workers, who could serve the people. In the coming days, we will be extending vaccine protection to everyone.”

PM Modi went onto say that Black fungus has emerged as a new challenge and that “we must focus on taking precaution and preparation to deal with it.”