Kolkata and several areas across West Bengal comes under a lockdown from 5 pm today till March 27 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a notification issued by the state government on Sunday. Only essential services will be allowed during the period, the notification said.

The Indian Centre and state governments have decided to completely shutdown 75 districts across the country where coronavirus (covid-19) cases have been reported, officials said on Sunday.

It has also been decided to keep the interstate bus services suspended till March 31, the officials 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 the deadly COVID-19, it was agreed that there was an urgent need to extend the restrictions on the movement of non-essential passenger transport, including interstate transport buses till March 31, a Union 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.

The districts where lockdown was announced are from states that include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.  Meanwhile, Pakistan yesterday shut down markets and public places in several major cities of the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The number of coronavirus cases in the country also jumped to 629.

According to the provincial governments of Northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab, and Balochistan, the public have been advised to remain at home and avoid social gatherings.

“In view of experts’ advice regarding social distancing being a primary preventive method and avoiding public contact, all markets, shopping malls, and restaurants shall remain closed with effect from Sunday morning till Tuesday morning,” the KP government said in a statement.

The provincial government also declared an emergency and suspended all inter-district passenger public transport for seven days starting from today, the statement added.

On Saturday, Punjab’s Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also announced a lockdown in the province from Saturday night till Tuesday morning.

The Sindh and Balochistan provinces already announced the same restrictions to stem the virus’ spread.