NEW DELHI: The war against coronavirus intensified in India on Sunday with more states ordering closure of educational institutions, and others imposing a virtual lockdown by extending restrictions to other public places like cinema halls, malls, gyms and swimming pools.The most populous state in the country, Uttar Pradesh, directed indefinite closure of all multiplexes, cinemas, clubs and gymnasiums in 10 districts, including state capital Lucknow, and Noida and Ghaziabad in NCR.The Yogi Adityanath government — which had on Friday shut down schools, colleges and universities across the state till March 22 — said in an official statement on Sunday that strong steps were needed to check the progression of the outbreak in UP from category two to category three. Malls, however, will remain open, clarified a government spokesperson late Sunday evening.Till Sunday, UP had reported 13 positive cases, including eight in Agra, two each in Ghaziabad and Lucknow, and one in Noida. Besides Lucknow and districts in the NCR, other districts brought under the virtual lockdown are Maharajganj, Sidhartnagar, Balrampur, Sravasti, Pilibhit, Gorakhpur and Lakhimpur Kheri — all along the Indo-Nepal border.Haryana on Sunday issued a fresh advisory barring the assembly of more than 200 people at any place, while directing all cinemas and malls in the state to be closed till March31. In addition, the state has also closed all government and private schools till March 31.In Gujarat, all schools, colleges, malls, multiplexes and swimming pools were ordered shut till March 29 by the state government, which has also directed municipalities, nagar palikas and gram panchayats to impose a fine of Rs 500 for spitting in public.Assam, too, ordered closure of all educational institutions, cinema halls, swimming pools and gyms till March 29. However, all ongoing exams will continue as per the earlier schedule. Following in the footsteps of the Supreme Court and the Delhi high court, Gauhati HC restricted its functioning as well as that of its benches in Kohima, Aizawl and Itanagar to “urgent matters only”. Assam, however, has not banned entry of foreigners.Tamil Nadu and Puducherry also joined other states in imposing restrictions by declaring holidays till March 31 for students till class V. TN also shut down cinema halls and malls in districts bordering Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra.In Mumbai, police invoked Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code till March 31 to prohibit tour operators from conducting any kind of group tours to foreign or domestic destinations.The curbs imposed by various states on Sunday come a day after similar measures were taken by state governments in Maharashtra, West Bengal , Punjab, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Goa.