Parliament Cancels Visitors Passes Amid Concerns Over Spreading Of Coronavirus

Amid fear of the spread of coronavirus, Parliament on Thursday (12 March) canceled the visitors passes in general so as to avoid any contact with outsiders.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday (12 March) said that there was no proposal to adjourn the House in the wake of coronavirus scare in the country, while Parliament had only canceled issuance of visitors passes in general as a precautionary measure.

Asked about any move to adjourn the Lower House of Parliament, the Speaker said: "No".

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi did not comment on the issue.

The coronavirus cases in the country has crossed 70, with the largest jump reported on Thursday (12 March).

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has prepared a draft of guidelines for home quarantine and use of masks by the public, in view of the spread of the virus.

The government said: "For those quarantined at home should stay in a well-ventilated room, preferably with an attached or separate toilet."

"If another family member needs to stay in the same room, it''s advisable to maintain a distance of at least one metre from the patient," it added.

The government also advised the virus-infected patients to stay away from the elderly, pregnant women, children within the household as their immune system may be low.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)