The number of coronavirus cases touched 124 in India on Monday after fresh cases were reported from several states, including Odisha as the government imposed fresh travel restrictions, prohibiting entry of passengers from the EU countries and the UK from March 18.

The Union health ministry also said fresh coronavirus cases were also reported from Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Kerala.A fresh case was reported from Kerala on Tuesay morning. Follow LIVE UPDATES on coronavirus outbreak

A Maharashtra government official said four patients were detected for the novel coronavirus infection, taking the state tally to 39, as concerns over the pandemic steered decisions across all sectors and states, including in politically volatile Madhya Pradesh.

The Union ministry did not immediately add the Maharashtra cases to its national count, covering 15 states and union territories. Kerala officials also maintained the total tally was 24 as against 23 given by the Union ministry.

According to the ministry of health numbers at 4 pm on Monday, the total number of coronavirus cases in India stands at 114. The tally includes 17 foreigners.

ALSO READ | Tracking coronavirus in India: State wise total cases, patients cured and daily trends

While two people died, 13 people were discharged after they recovered from the infection, which according to the WHO has infected 1,68,019 people in 148 countries and territories and claimed more than 6,610 lives.

With the four new patients, Odisha has a count of one, Ladakh four and Jammu and Kashmir three, according to the ministry.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday issued fresh guidelines on use of masks by public.

#Coronavirus: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued guidelines on use of masks by public. pic.twitter.com/RnWN4VG93c ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2020

TRAVEL BAN ON EU, UK, TURKEY

With the positive cases of COVID-19 showing an increase, the government after a meeting of a group of ministers (GoM) proposed a set of social distancing measures to be in force till March 31, the health ministry officials told reporters. "Travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from 18th March 2020," said Lav Aggarwal, the Joint Secretary in the ministry.

"No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure," he said. Both these instructions are temporary measures and shall be in force till March 31, 2020, and will be reviewed subsequently, he said.

On March 11, India suspended all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15 to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

SOCIAL DISTANCING IS THE SOLUTION

The GoM held their 7th meeting on Monday and after detailed deliberations, social distancing measures as a preventive strategy has been proposed for implementation, Aggarwal said, adding that these interventions are proposed to be in force till March 31.

The key measures proposed include the closure of all educational institutions -- schools, colleges and universities -- gyms, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres, he said.

All ASI-protected monuments and central museums across the country will also be shut till March 31, Union Culture Minister Prahlad Patal said.

Students should be advised to stay at home and online education should be promoted, Aggarwal said.

"Non-essential travel should be avoided. Buses, trains and aeroplanes should maximise social distancing in public transport, besides ensuring proper disinfection of services," he said.

PM MODI LAUDS HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

As many states virtually shut down to stem the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the contribution of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in fighting the virus. He said there was a coordinated response to the outbreak, showing the strong spirit of the nation in such situations.

Our doctors, nurses, healthcare workers are putting great efforts. They are out there, helping people. We will always cherish their contribution. #IndiaFightsCorona https://t.co/aTJIBF3Akz Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 16, 2020

In a series of tweets with the hashtag 'India Fights Corona', Modi said the encouragement from people highlighting the steps being taken to combat the virus is boosting the morale of all the "remarkable people" at the forefront of the fight.

AJANTA-ELLORA CAVES, SIDDHIVINAYAK TEMPLE SHUT

Authorities in Maharashtra, which has registered the highest number of positive cases in India, have decided to close some prominent tourist and religious attractions as a precautionary measure.

The world-famous Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad, the popular Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai and the Tuljabhawani temple in Osmanabad district would remain closed in view of the coronavirus situation in the state, officials said.

Entry restrictions to Mantralaya, the state secretariat in south Mumbai which sees thousands of visitors daily, will also be in force, Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.

ODISHA RECORDS FIRST CASE

Giving details of the Odisha case, an official in Bhubaneswar said a researcher who recently returned from Italy tested positive for the coronavirus.

The 33-year-old patient who reached Delhi from Italy on March 6 and travelled to Bhubaneswar by train on March 12 is being treated at the Capital Hospital in the Odisha capital.

"His condition is stable and he is not showing any other complications," the state government's chief spokesperson on coronavirus cases Subroto Bagchi told reporters.

The man consulted a doctor on March 13, complaining of fever and headache, and was admitted to the hospital's isolation ward the next day.

As he travelled by train from Delhi to Bhubaneswar, the state government has launched a "contact tracing exercise", Bagchi said.

His family members have been quarantined and kept under observation.

LOCAL ELECTIONS HIT BY COVID-19

The elections to the West Bengal civic bodies, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) have been postponed for the time being amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, an official said on Monday.

The decision was taken at an all-party meeting called to decide the dates for the polls, State Election Commissioner Sourav Das said. "We have decided to defer the civic polls for the time being because of the coronavirus outbreak," Das said. "We will again hold a meeting to take a call on the matter after 15 days."

The State Election Commission of Odisha on Monday postponed the March 24 panchayat bypolls after the state reported its first case of the novel coronavirus. The authorities ordered the closure of all government and private schools with immediate effect amid the growing coronavirus threat, an official said.

CORONAVIRUS SAVES KAMAL NATH'S SINKING SHIP IN MP

In Madhya Pradesh, where the future of the Congress-led Kamal Nath government hangs in balance, there was no floor test as was being speculated and the assembly was adjourned in view of the state government's concerns over the coronavirus.

BJP MLAs demanded a floor test as directed by Governor Lalji Tandon -- after 22 Congress MLAs of the Congress resigned from the party.

However, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Govind Singh raised the issue of the coronavirus threat and also mentioned the Central government's advisory on the matter, prompting Speaker NP Prajapati to accept his plea and adjourn proceedings till March 26.

INDIA STAYS AT HOME

While political confabulations continued in the central Indian state, many thousands of students across the country were restricted to their homes and employees worked from home as administrations all over put into effect plans to contain the spread of the contagious disease with flu-like symptoms.

Gyms, cinema halls, swimming pools and other places were closed in many states. Adding to its restrictions, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said no religious, social, cultural and political gathering of over 50 people would be allowed in Delhi till March 31.

Meanwhile, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said neither foreign nor domestic tourists will be allowed to enter into the state, and announced shutting down of educational institutes till April 15.

The administration has imposed Section 144 in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Monday to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

SENSEX BLOODBATH CONTINUES

Indian stocks plunged on Monday, closing nearly 8% lower, as moves by central banks across the globe to cut interest rates failed to calm nerves about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy.

The NSE Nifty 50 index closed down 7.61 per cent at 9,197.40 while the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex settled 7.96 per cent lower at 31,390.07.

India's volatility index jumped 16.3%, to its highest in over a decade.

In the US, trading on Wall Street was halted immediately after the opening bell Monday, as stocks posted steep losses following emergency moves by the Federal Reserve to try to avert a recession due to the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19: BCCI TELLS EMPLOYEES TO WORK FROM HOME

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced India's biggest sports body BCCI to virtually shut down its headquarter in Mumbai from Tuesday with its employees being advised to work from home.

It has been learnt that the employees have been asked to "work from home" with all the cricketing operations already being suspended till further notice.

"The BCCI employees were today notified that the headquarters at the Wankhede Stadium will be as good as closed in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. All the staffers have been advised to work from home," a top source said.

The BCCI last Friday postponed the IPL-13 from March 29 to April 15 along with all other domestic tournaments, including the Irani Cup and the Women's Challenger Trophy. India has so far reported 114 positive cases with two deaths.

GOVT BRINGS BACK INDIANS FROM IRAN

Efforts were also on to bring back Indians stranded abroad.

An Air India flight with 53 Indians evacuated from coronavirus-hit Iran landed in New Delhi and the passengers were flown to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan where they have been quarantined at the Army Wellness Centre.

"The fourth batch of 53 Indians - 52 students and a teacher - has arrived from Tehran and Shiraz, Iran. With this, a total of 389 Indians have returned to India from Iran. Thank the efforts of the team @India_in_Iran and Iranian authorities," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.

Iran is one of the worst-affected countries by the coronavirus outbreak with over 14,000 cases detected and over 700 people dead.

Signalling its serious intent to contain the infection, police in Kochi registered a case against 79 people for organising a mass reception for a popular reality show contestant on his arrival at the Cochin International Airport despite restrictions on such gatherings in view of the coronavirus threat.

JAMIA, JNU ASK STUDENTS TO GO HOME

The Jamia Millia Islamia, which had already suspended classes till March-end, issued an advisory on Sunday asking its students to go home due to the threat posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The places of large gatherings like hostels, dining halls, libraries, kitchens are all highly-vulnerable and susceptible to the threat of the deadly COVID-19, according to the advisory.

After IIT Delhi and Delhi University (DU), Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University has also released a notice to declare the suspension of classes in the wake of the spread of Coronavirus in the state. According to reports, the university has suspended classes until March 31, 2020.

'TEST EVERY SUSPECTED CASE' OF COVID-19: WHO

The World Health Organization called on all countries on Monday to ramp up their testing programs as the best way to slow the advance of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We have a simple message to all countries - test, test, test," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference in Geneva.

"All countries should be able to test all suspected cases, they cannot fight this pandemic blindfolded," he added.