Covid-19: Bihar shuts down bus services, restaurants, banquet halls till March 31

The Bihar government on Saturday ordered shutting down of bus services, restaurants and banquet halls across the state till March 31 to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, officials said.

However, home delivery and take home services of restaurants will remain functional, a health department order said.

The state government, invoking the Bihar Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020, said the restrictions have come into force with immediate effect.

"The decision was taken for prevention and control of the outbreak of epidemic disease namely COVID-19 in the state," Health Department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar said in the order.

No coronavirus case has been reported in Bihar so far, Health officials said.

Transport Secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said both city and interstate buses will not ply till March 31 in the wake of the coronavirus.

"All types of government and private city buses and interstate buses will not ply till March 31," Agarwal said.

City buses will stop plying from Saturday, while interstate bus services will be suspended from Sunday, he said.

The state government had on March 18 shut all shopping malls, gymnasiums, spas and swimming pools across the state till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

It has also restricted all mass gatherings except marriages and directed shops and restaurants to disinfect the facilities twice a day, besides providing customers with hand sanitisers.

The state government had on March 13 ordered closure of all educational institutes, movie theatres, parks, zoos and museums till the month-end.

A total of 520 people who returned to the state from coronavirus-hit countries since January 11 till date have been placed under home quarantine, they added.