One-week ban on international commercial passenger flights in India from March 22

As the number of positive coronavirus cases rose to 169 in India, the government on Thursday banned all international commercial passenger flights from landing in India for a week, starting March 22.

No scheduled international commercial passenger flights shall be allowed to land in India from March 22 for one week, the government said in a press release. 

In other measures, the Centre has asked state governments to issue appropriate directions so that all citizens above 65 (other than for medical assistance) except for public representatives or government servants and medical professionals are advised to remain at home.

Similarly, all children below 10 should be advised to stay at home and not to venture out, it said.

The government said ministries of Railways and Civil Aviation will suspend all concessional travel except for students, patients and divyang category.

Besides, states are also being requested to enforce work for home for private sector employees except those working in emergency and essential services. 

To reduce crowding all Group B and C Central government employees will be asked to A attend offices on alternate week and staggered timings for all employees, the government said. 

This comes as the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in India rose to 169 on Thursday. The death toll also reached four after a patient in Punjab passed away. 

The pandemic has claimed over 9,000 lives globally while more than 2 lakh cases have been reported so far.