Coronavirus: J&K ups restrictions on entry

The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam. “In view of the detection of two confirmed, (possibly three) Coronavirus cases in Jammu and measures put in place by the Health Department,” an official spokesperson said.

Public entry in civil secretariat and offices of all the heads of departments in Jammu division has also been banned till March 31. Expecting large gatherings during some forthcoming religious festivals, the Chief Secretary directed the Jammu Divisional Commissioner to call a meeting of all prominent religious leaders, advising them to convince people to reduce or avoid gatherings.

A quarantine facility will be set up at Baltal base camp in Sonmarg in Kashmir to quarantine those entering from Ladakh.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday said it would hear only urgent matters at both its wings in Jammu and Srinagar till March 31. Premises of all courts will be sanitised and visitors to the High Court will have to pass through thermal screening. The administration also extended the restrictions imposed on gatherings in Jammu district to Udhampur district on Monday.

Udhampur District Magistrate Piyush Singla said the restrictions on social gatherings, meetings and conferences, among others, will continue till March 31. In a separate order, he ordered the closure of all hotels falling within the jurisdiction of Patnitop Development Authority till the end of the month.

In Samba district, the administration sealed a private higher secondary school in Vijaypur area for flouting the government order regarding closure of all educational institutions in the Union Territory till March 31.