New Delhi/March, 17: In a drastic step aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19, the Central Government has advised temporary lockdown of educational, recreational and fitness facilities across India until March 31, asking people to avoid non-essential domestic travel and expanding international travel restrictions.
The Group of Ministers on Covid-19 met for the seventh time and approved the advisory on social distancing after a Committee of Secretaries suggested the steps to break the cycle of virus transmission. India’s Covid case count touched 114 with four more confirmed on Monday mdash; one each from Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Kerala.
These 114 cases include 10 persons who have been discharged, three who have been cured and two who have died. As many as 5,200 contacts of the confirmed cases are under surveillance.
The government also extended existing travel restrictions to prevent transmission of the virus from high risk zones and said traffic along the Indo-Pakistan Border had been stopped since Monday morning.
“Travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the UK to India is prohibited from March 18. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure,” the advisory said.
Further, the period of compulsory quarantine for passengers entering India from or transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait has been increased by 14 days. The measure comes into effect from 12.00 GMT on March 18, the Centre said on a day when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Covid cooperation.
The advisory (effective until March 31 subject to further review) sent to state chief secretaries asks them to close down several establishments besides asking students to stay home.
