COVID-19: Shops ordered to down their shutters in 3 Assam

Three district administrations of Assam on Sunday ordered all business establishments, barring those involved in essential services, to down their shutters with immediate effect in wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Dibrugarh District Magistrate Pallav Gopal Jha ordered an indefinite closure of all shops, barring pharmacies, grocery stores, petrol pumps and LPG outlets.

Sonitpur District Magistrate Manvendra Pratap Singh ordered the closure of all markets till March 31.

"Assembly of persons in all public places including shops, bus stations and market places have been prohibited," he said.

Singh said people entering the district from outside Assam must mandatorily declare their travel history, after which they will be home quarantined.

Cachar Deputy Commissioner Barnali Sharma also ordered the closure of all shops, barring those selling essential commodities, till Tuesday.

Sharma also ordered the closure of markets and shopping malls indefinitely.

A total of 2.08 lakh people have been screened across Assam till Sunday, the Health and Family Welfare Department said in a bulletin.

It said that 29,782 people have been screened at six airports of the state.

So far, samples of 57 people have been tested in Assam and none of them tested positive for coronavirus, it added.