Tripura, on Saturday, became the fifth state to ban entry of foreign tourists, amid the coronavirus outbreak. Other states to have taken a similar measure are Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur.
Sikkim had banned entry of foreign tourists as early as March 6 to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Arunachal Pradesh took the same step after reports of a US tourist, who had stayed in Assam, testing positive for COVID-19 in Bhutan. The bans have adversely affected the tourism sector if the northeastern states.
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The total count of confirmed cases of coronavirus in India is now at 84.
Taking preventive measures, many states have shut down school, colleges and cinema halls till March 31 to contain the outbreak. India also suspended all tourist visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15 in a bid to contain the spread of the disease. The government also "strongly advised" Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. The Centre, on Thursday, also decided to invoke Epidemic Act 1897, an act to provide for prevention of the spread of “dangerous epidemic diseases,” to combat novel coronavirus in India.
The Centre on Saturday announced that coronavirus outbreak will be treated as 'notified disaster', the Centre informed on Saturday. This is to provide assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Under the norms of assistance under the SDRF, Rs 4 lakh each will be provided as relief to families of the deceased, including those involved in response activities and relief operations.
A day after the government confirmed the first coronavirus-related death of a 76-year-old man in Karnataka, another death was reported in west Delhi on Friday. The patient was a 68-year-old woman and the mother of a COVID 19-infected patient. The death was caused due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), the Union health ministry said, adding she had also tested positive for COVID-19.
-with PTI inputs
