All educational institutions and cinema halls have been closed in Himachal Pradesh till March 31 as a precautionary measure to check community transmission of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur informed the State Assembly on Saturday.
In a statement in the House during the Budget session, the chief minister said all cinema halls and educational institutions including schools, colleges, universities, anganwadi centres and creches will remain closed till March 31.
However, examinations will continue as per schedule, he added.
No confirmed case of COVID-19 has been found so far in Himachal Pradesh.
As many as 593 people have been kept under surveillance, he said, adding that information regarding 372 of them was obtained from the Bureau of Immigration with their recent travel history to COVID-19 affected countries. The remaining 221 people have reported to authorities on their own, Thakur said.
The samples of seven of them who had come to IGMC Shimla and RPGMC Tanda hospitals with cough or fever symptoms were found to be negative for COVID-19, he added.
Urging the people of the State to cooperate with authorities, the Chief Minister said, “There is no need to panic. Take these steps as a positive step to check any possibility of spread of new coronavirus in the State as two persons have died in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Meanwhile, the Hamirpur district administration will not participate in the month-long Chaitra Fair dedicated to Baba Balak Nath following an advisory by the Himachal Pradesh health department in wake of coronavirus scare, officials said on Saturday.
The State Health Department has directed that fairs, festivals and tournaments or such events which result in congregation or gathering of a large number of people may be postponed to avoid spread of infection.
In cases where such events are linked to some particular time of a religious event, adequate advisory be issued to general public not to gather or plan their visit to such events unless there are many compelling reasons to do so, special secretary (health) Amarjeet Singh said in a letter sent to all Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Chief Medical Officers (CMOs).
Hamirpur DC Harikesh Meena confirmed the receipt of the official letter and stated that there would be no official function of the temple this year. No senior officers including Meena, who is the Commissioner of the Baba Balak Nath temple, will take part in the inaugural function at the time of flag hoisting ceremony on Saturday afternoon. Usually, the DC performs the flag hoisting ceremony.
However, the month-long fair will be held as per religious traditions, the Mahant of Baba Balak Nath temple Rajender Giri said. The annual fair started on Saturday afternoon and a large number of devotees are expected to turn up from across Himachal Pradesh, neighbouring states and foreign countries.