Uttarakhand government bans mass gatherings amid Coronavirus scare

Amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and an increase in virus cases in India, the Uttarakhand government has decided to ban mass gatherings. State Minister Madan Kaushik, on Sunday, informed about the government's decision to ban mass gatherings, including seminars and protests in the state. 

Moreover, all government and private programs have also been banned for a month and the district magistrates have been permitted to act against anyone who is found violating these orders. 

The state government has already declared the deadly virus as an epidemic and has passed an order to shut all theatres and educational institutions till March 31. However, Medical colleges of the state have been excluded from the order. 

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Coronavirus in India

According to the latest figures available on Sunday, the total number of positive cases of Coronavirus in India has soared up to 107 as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Two deaths have been reported in Kalaburagi and West Delhi respectively. India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15.

Moreover, the Centre has “strongly advised” Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. The government is also monitoring all suspected cases and has issued preventive advisories. 

Taking into consideration the rising number of Coronavirus cases, the Central Government on Saturday decided to treat the deadly virus as a "notified disaster."

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The Coronavirus crisis

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel Coronavirus has affected nearly 141 countries in the world. Presently, there are over 156,948 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 5,839 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to treat COVID-19, countries have been grappling with all possible mechanisms to contain its scope. So far, China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran have witnessed the most number of confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus.

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(With inputs from ANI)