Vizianagaram: People advised to avoid mass gatherings

Vizianagaram: The Andhra Pradesh government has instructed the people to cancel all the functions and local Jatharas as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of coronavirus.

On Thursday, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney spoke to the Collectors of all districts over a video-conference and instructed them to take utmost care to stop the spread of coronavirus. All schools and colleges have to be closed and no mass gathering programmes should be conducted.

The Chief Secretary instructed the district administration to take strict measures and sensitise public on the precautionary measures. People should be cautious for the next one month and strictly follow personal hygiene.

People suffering from symptoms of coronavirus should be isolated. Control rooms and isolation wards should be set up. Later, Collector M Hari Jawaharlal advised the people to be safe and healthy by practicing good habits like washing hands and using handkerchiefs while sneezing and coughing.

"It's better for people not to celebrate Ugadi and Srirama Navami in mass gatherings and celebrate the two festivals at their homes only," he said. District level medical officers have participated in the video- conference.