South Asia steps up virus battle

Mosques in Sri Lanka were shut indefinitely from yesterday, and the island imposed a countrywide curfew over the weekend, as South Asian countries step up efforts to check the spread of Covid-19 cases.

The densely populated region of some 1.9 billion people has been less badly affected than other parts of the world, but new cases in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka are all accelerating, with the total across South Asia now exceeding 750. Seven people have died.

Authorities worry that these countries could be especially at risk, should the virus begin to spread locally, due to poor health facilities and infrastructure in much of the region. The virus has already infected more than 2,44,000 people worldwide, and led to over 10,000 deaths.

A police curfew was imposed nationwide in Sri Lanka from 6:00 pm local time yesterday until 6:00 am on Monday, as authorities on the island moved to slow the spread of the virus, which has infected 66 people there.

The religious body that oversees mosques in the nation directed all of them to shut indefinitely. About 10 percent of the country's 22 million people are Muslims, reports Reuters.

In India, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray announced yesterday that all offices in Mumbai and a few other cities will be closed till March 31 to fight coronavirus. All shops have also been shut, excluding those selling essential items.

All offices will be closed, only essential services will operate in Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur, the chief minister said as the number of cases in Maharashtra climbed to 52.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said yesterday all malls in the national capital will be closed in view of the Covid-19 threat but grocery and pharmacy stores in them are exempted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi deliberated ways to check the spread of coronavirus with chief ministers of various states as positive cases of Covid-19 in India now stands at 223.

Sources in the government said besides discussing ways to check the spread of the virus, issues such as capacity building of the states and extending training to local health officials also came for discussion.

In Pakistan, the number of cases rose to 464 as authorities yesterday confirmed one more death, raising the total number of casualties in the country to three, reports Dawn.

Bhutan yesterday reported the country's second coronavirus case, a female tourist who is the partner of the first infected patient.

Cases in South Asia

Pakistan-                       464

India-                             223

Sri Lanka-                       66

Afghanistan-                 24

Maldives-                       13

Bangladesh-                 20

Nepal-                               1

Bhutan-                            2