As the number of coronavirus rise in India, the centre today declared a countrywide lockdown of schools, colleges, gyms and swimming pools -- crowded areas that could allow for exponential spread of the virus. After a meeting of a Group of Ministers which reviewed the situation today, the government also advised that people avoid non-essential travel and employees of private companies work from home.
The famous Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai will remain shut to devotees from this evening till further notice to check the spread of coronavirus, the temple authorities have announced, reported news agency Press Trust of India. The temple, dedicated to the Lord Ganesha, is the latest among a string of temples to respond to the virus threat. Earlier, the temples at Shirdi and Sabarimala had asked devotees to postpone their visit for a few weeks.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the creation of an emergency fund with "voluntary contributions" to counter the novel coronavirus in SAARC nations -- India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. India can start with an "initial offer" of $10 million, he said during a telephonic conversation with SAARC leaders to evolve a joint strategy to fight the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 5,000 people worldwide.
The epicentre of the illness has shifted to Europe from China's Wuhan - where it originated in meat marker-with Italy and Spain recording highest number of cases in a day.
