DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand state government on Friday banned entry of both domestic as well as foreign tourists to the state amidst COVID-19 outbreak as a precautionary move.
Nitesh Kumar Jha, state health secretary said, "Travels have been banned for all domestic and foreign tourists to Uttarakhand as a precautionary move to check the spread of Croronavirus until further orders."
The order dated March 20, 2020 stated, "In the context of Covid-19 outbreak, the State of Uttarakhand is taking all necessary and due precautions and issuing advisories to the public at large to avoid any non essential travel.
Keeping this in view, a need is being felt to restrict entry of tourists (both foreign and domestic) to prevent the spread of virus in the state. Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Uttarakhand Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 regulations 2020, under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, the entry of all tourists (both foreign and domestic) is hereby banned in the State of Uttarakhand until further orders."
Meanwhile, the state government COVID-19 toll free helpline number 104 received a total 856 calls till date.
A total of 19 samples were sent on Friday while the total number of samples sent to Dr Susheela Tiwari Government Medical College and Hospital stood at 114.
Out of these samples, 82 tested negative while 29 are still awaiting results. Three have already been tested positive and have been kept in isolation and in lock down at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun.
A total of 45,352 people have been screened for the infection at airports of Uttarakhand till date with 454 being kept under observation.
Total 434 people have completed 28-days of observation period while 413 remain home quarantined.