Civilian entry restricted at India, Bangladesh Joint Retreat Ceremony due to Coronavirus

Amid the rising cases of Coronavirus in India, the civilian entry at the Joint Retreat Ceremony is restricted between India's Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) in view of Coronavirus from Saturday. The Joint Retreat Ceremony takes place at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) Fulbari border.

A notice put up at the Fulbari border read, "Entry is prohibited for the visitors to watch the ICP parade due to Coronavirus," The message was written in English and Bengali languages.

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Beating Retreat public parade suspended till further orders

Apart from the civilian entry restriction at ICP, the Beating Retreat public parade ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border has also been suspended till further orders, in view of Coronavirus. Speaking to news agency ANI, Narain Jeet, Police Post Incharge at Attari in Amritsar, said that the ceremony has been suspended till further orders amid the outbreak of Coronavirus. The restrictions were imposed after two persons from Hoshiarpur tested positive for the novel coronavirus or COVID-19.

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34 positive cases of Coronavirus in India

On Saturday three cases were confirmed tallying the total positive cases of Coronavirus in India to 34. Union Special Secretary (Health) Sanjeeva Kumar, on Saturday evening, said that two cases of Coronavirus were confirmed in Ladakh and one in Tamil Nadu. He also instructed officials to plan for early testing and evacuation of Indians from Iran.

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"Officials have been instructed for early testing and evacuation of Indians from Iran. In addition to 31 cases, 3 more cases have been found positive. 2 from Ladakh and 1 from TN. All are stable," said Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health, Sanjeeva Kumar.

The two patients in Ladakh had a travel history from Iran and the patient in Tamil Nadu had a travel history from Oman. No details regarding nationality, age, sex, was provided by the government official.

Coronavirus outbreak

Globally, more than 3,400 people have died, with the epicentre being in China. The virus has infected more than 1,02,000 people globally and has now spread to North America South America, Europe, New Zealand, and as many as 80 other countries. 

On March 1, UN Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock today released US$15 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help fund global efforts to contain the virus. The announcement came soon after the WHO upgraded the global risk of the Coronavirus outbreak to "very high" – its top level of risk assessment. The WHO has said there is still a chance of containing the virus if its chain of transmission is broken.

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(With inputs from ANI)