New Delhi, May 1: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Friday announced that the Indian armed forces would thank COVID-19 warriors on May 3. General Rawat in a press briefing said that Indian Air Force (IAF) would conduct two flypasts on Sunday as thanksgiving to COVID warriors. The IAF will conduct the first flypast from  from Srinagar to Trivandrum and another one starting from Dibrugarh in Assam to Kutch in Gujarat.  General Rawat added that the aircraft would be showering flower petals on COVID hospitals. The flypasts will include both transport and fighter aircrafts. Indian Army HQ to Function With 50% Staff From April 19 Amid Coronavirus Lockdown.

The Indian Army will also honour COVID warriors. Genera Rawat stated, "the Indian Army will conduct mountain band displays along some of the COVID hospitals in almost every district of our country." He added that the armed forces would also lay wreathe at the police memorial on May 3 in support of our police forces. IAF Designates Command Hospital Air Force Bangalore as 1st Laboratory in The Force to Undertake COVID-19 Testing.

Press Briefing by General Bipin Rawat:

Similarly, the Indian Navy will light up ships to pay respect to frontline warriors of the country in combating coronavirus. The CDS said, "The Navy on its part will have its warships deployed in formations in coastal areas in the evening on May 3. Navy warships would also be lit up and their choppers would be used for showering petals on hospitals." 20 More Indian Navy Personnel at INS Angre Base in Mumbai Test Positive for Coronavirus After First Case Was Reported on April 7.

The announcement was made during a press briefing in which all the three services Chief – Gen MM Naravane, Admiral KaramBir Singh and Air Chief Marsha RKS Bhadauria. Last week, General Rawat had said that "discipline and patience" had helped the defence services in containing the spreading of virus. Meanwhile, the first coronavirus patient in the Indian Army has joined the duty after recovering from the disease. General Naravane said, "Army so far has had only 14 cases of which 5 have been cured and they have returned to work."

The number of coronavirus cases in India has increased to 35,365 on Friday. The country reported 1,755 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. Since Thursday evening 77 people have lost their lives due to the deadly virus, which the highest number of deaths reported in a single day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 01, 2020 06:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).