Karnataka government on Friday ordered the closure of all bars and pubs in Bengaluru till March 31 as the state prepares to fight the outbreak of deadly novel coronavirus.

The government order also says that while kitchens in hotels and restaurants within Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike limits can remain open but only takeaways will be allowed.

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru metro has announced that its services will remain suspended on March 22, Sunday in wake of Janata Curfew announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Thursday.

In his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested the countrymen to stay indoors as much as possible. He has also urged the nation to observe a 14-hour-long Janata Curfew between 7 am and 9 pm on Sunday.

"It may kindly be noted that in wake of Janata Curfew on Sunday, BMRCL has decided to keep its services closed. This is to encourage the public to stay indoors to maintain social distancing," an official statement said.

Karnataka government advisory for IT and Biotech companies

Karnataka government has issued an advisory for the IT and biotech companies in the state, encouraging them to follow the guidelines and help curb the spread of the deadly virus.

The guidelines are:

1. Employees who are working on Mission Critical and Essential services only to operate from an office. All other employees to Work from Home.

2. The Management of IT and Biotech should put in place a self-regulatory mechanism for the same keeping mind employee safety is of paramount importance. Prudence is the call of the hour.

3. To facilitate work from home, the Government has written to BESCOM and internet service providers to provide uninterrupted power supply and connectivity.

4. Minimize contact among employees by replacing face to face meetings with tele-conversation or video conference.

5. Business and personal travels may be put on hold unless it is unavoidable and critical.

6. Social distancing is a public health measure that’s implemented during highly contagious outbreaks and hence social distancing has to be followed.

7. Maintain proper hygiene of premises/workplace by following regular housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment and other elements of the work environment.

8. Promote frequent and thorough hand washing by providing employees/visitors/ customers with soap/sanitisers and running water in the washrooms.

9. Encourage employees to follow respiratory etiquette including coughs and sneezes.

10. Employers should develop the policies and procedures for employees to report when they are sick or experiencing symptoms of Covid-19.

11. Encourage employees to call helpline no.104. Never travel directly or avail public transport facility to reach the hospital if suspected of possible exposure of Covid-19.

12. Identification and isolation of potentially infectious individuals is a critical step in protecting employees at the workplace.

13. Maintain flexible leave policies that permit employees to self-quarantine as a precautionary measure.

14. Advise all employees who are yet higher risk i.e older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions, to take extra precautions.

Meanwhile, Tumakuru DC Dr Rakesh Kumar has imposed section 144 across the district from March 20 to month end as a precautionary measure to prevent Covid-19 from spreading.

Majority states have put in place strict measures to ensure that people practice social distancing to keep the virus at bay.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has welcomed PM Modi's plea for Janata Curfew and has said that the state government will encourage this move. Hence, all government transport facilities including buses and metro will not operate on Sunday. He also said that people can use this time to clean their houses and premises.

Novel coronavirus or Covid-19 has claimed over 9,000 lives across the world and has affected at least 2 lakh people across the globe. As per the latest data, India has registered 242 cases with four deaths.

On Thursday night, in an address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested the countrymen to stay indoors as much as possible. He has also urged the nation to observe a 14-hour-long Janata Curfew between 7 am and 9 pm on Sunday, March 22.

Do you think you have symptoms of novel coronavirus? Consult a doctor and report the matter to helpline number given by the government: +91-11-23978046; Toll Free No: 1075. You can also report it to ncov2019[at]gov[dot]in. You can follow advisories and latest official updates on the government's website here or, at India Today here.

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