Coronavirus: Shops to remain shut in HP's Chamba till Mar 31

All shops and business establishments except those selling essential items will remain closed in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district till March 31 to contain the spread of coronavirus, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate Vivek Bhatia said on Sunday.

The DM issued orders under Section 34 of the National Disaster Management Act-2005 and Himachal Pradesh Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020. The shops selling essential items, petrol pumps, LGP gas agencies, banks and ATMs will be open, Bhatia said Assembly of four or more persons was already banned in the district under Section 144 of the CrPC, he said. Two confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Kangra district on Friday.