Kolkata's Indian Coffee House to remain closed till March 31

To halt the COVID19 spread, the authorities of Indian Coffee House here at College Street have decided to shut down the cafe till March 31.

"It is hereby to notify all our customers and patrons that the Indian Coffee House, Main Hall 15, Bankim Chattrejee Street, Kolkata will remain closed from March 21 to March 31 due to coronavirus," the Indian Coffee House said.

As a precautionary step to fight against coronavirus, various state governments in the country have closed bars, restaurants and pubs.

In several states, restaurants including cafes cannot serve food in-house and only takeaways will be allowed.

In order to keep coronavirus infection at bay, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested people to use a cloth to cover their mouth and nose in case of scarcity of face masks.

"Since there is a scarcity of masks, people can use a cloth to tie around their faces as it is soft. However, I am not sure, people should consult doctors," Banerjee said on Friday

Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that a total of 283 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country. Out of the total number, four people have died and 22 others have recovered.