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Updated: Mar 19, 2020 18:53 IST

Punjab has decided to shut down public transport from Friday midnight to prevent community spreading of coronavirus infection said State officials.

The decision will result in to buses and tempos going off the road from Friday midnight. The state is perhaps the first to announce shutting down of public transport to check the threat from the contagion that has taken three lives in the country and infected 166 people including one in Punjab.

The decision to shut down public transport was taken by the group of ministers formed to tackle the spread of COVID 19 into the State.

In other important measures, the State has decided to further restrict gatherings to 20 people from 50, in effect previously.

All District Collectors (DCs) and police officers of the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) have been told not to leave their stations, said local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra.

The Union government and the States have asked people to avoid unnecessary travel and stay at home to prevent community spreading of the disease which causes an exponential rise in the number of infections and could be disastrous for a high population country like India.

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Steps have been taken to disinfect public transport services in several states and the Indian railways have cancelled several trains due to low occupancy.

Punjab government had earlier ordered closure of all government and private schools, colleges and universities where exams are not being held till March 31 in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.

A helpline number 104 has been set up in the State for any health-related information. The national call centre number 011-23978046 and state control room numbers 88720-90029 and 0172-2920074 are also active.

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