75 districts under lockdown to halt Covid-19 spread;interstate buses shut

The Centre and state governments have decided to announce a lockdown in 75 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported, officials said on Sunday.

It has also decided to suspend inter-state bus services till March 31, they said.
 

The decisions have been taken at a high level meeting attended by chief secretaries of all States and the Cabinet Secretary and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.

In view of the need to contain the spread of COVID 19, it was agreed that there is urgent need to extend the restrictions on the movement of non-essential passenger transport including inter-state transport buses till March 31, 2020, a home ministry official said.
 

State governments will issue orders allowing only essential services to operate in about 75 districts with confirmed COVID 19 cases or casualties, the official said.