COVID-19: Uttarakhand govt bans mass gatherings

Uttarakhand government has banned mass gatherings, including seminars and protests, in the state amid coronavirus outbreak, informed state minister Madan Kaushik on Sunday.

Uttarakhand government has banned mass gatherings, including seminars and protests, in the state amid coronavirus outbreak, informed state minister Madan Kaushik on Sunday. All government and private programmes have been banned for a month and the district magistrates have been authorised to take action if anyone is caught violating the orders.

The state government has already declared coronavirus an epidemic and has passed an order that all cinema halls and colleges will remain closed in the state till March 31. Medical colleges, however, will remain open. The number of COVID-19 positive cases has gone up to 107 in the country.

Coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,30,000 people. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic. (ANI)