india

Updated: Mar 13, 2020 13:02 IST

The Delhi government on Friday announced a few more preventive steps to curb the spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19, and banned the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in the national capital.

“We have decided to ban any sports activity where people will gather in huge numbers like IPL. Social distancing is important to curb the breakout of coronavirus,” Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.

No seminars, conferences or any big event (beyond 200 people) will be allowed in Delhi, Sisodia further said.

He also gave example of South Korea where 30 people were quarantined and social gatherings continued as it is. “The 31st person later spread the virus to 10,000 people. In Delhi, we are trying all means to prevent this. At this time, the biggest solution is social distancing,” said Sisodia.

Sports gatherings including IPL prohibited in Delhi pic.twitter.com/ALLf7J1NUo — Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) March 13, 2020

The Deputy Chief Minister also said that all the district magistrates and SDMs to ensure strictest adherence of government orders across the city.

This comes a day after the Delhi government ordered closure of all cinema halls in the national capital till March 31. “The Delhi government has declared coronavirus an epidemic. We need to exercise abundant caution to contain the disease. All cinema halls, schools, colleges in Delhi will be shut until March 31, but exams will continue as scheduled. People are advised to stay away from public gatherings,” said Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal after a crucial meeting to discuss the issue on Thursday.

The Delhi administration also directed made it mandatory for all offices, shopping malls and other public spaces to be disinfected on a daily basis.

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said the government is looking at keeping all its directives in place till at least about a month.

The decision has been taken under the Epidemics Diseases Act, 1897, the order by the Delhi government said. The Centred had on Thursday asked the state governments to invoke the 1897 act which gives officials at state levels powers to take extraordinary steps to combat an outbreak.