Assam Tourism Issues Directives to Nat'l & Int'l Tourism as Corona Deaths Cross 5,000

Dispur, March 13, 2020:

The Tourism Department of Assam, in compliance with the directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health authorities to prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus, has appealed all the domestic and international tourists travelling to the State to follow the "precautionary health measures" issued in public interest.

"All tourists are requested to avoid crowded places and public gatherings and adopt strategies for social isolation," stated the advisory issued on Friday.

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The Assam Tourism department has additionally assigned five points of contact for the tourists for any assistance - Deputy Director, Hriday Ranjan Das, ATIO, Gautam Gogoi, TIO, Basab Bora, TIO, Nilim Baruah and TIO, Manas Thakur.

The contact numbers of the above personnel are mentioned below -

Deputy Director, Hriday Ranjan Das - 9435182451

ATIO, Gautam Gogoi - 9435796317

TIO, Basab Bora - 9854211317

TIO, Nilim Baruah - 9854858353

TIO, Manas Thakur - 9854092192

"With regard to domestic tourists coming from areas where prevalence of corona virus is from medium to high rate, they are to take all necessary precautionary measures including clinical screening if needed," stated the advisory.

ALSO READ: How are People from Assam Living abroad Dealing with the Corona Pandemic?

The Director of Tourism & Managing Director has been directed to take measures to spread awareness and sensitize the hoteliers, tour operators, jeep and elephant safaris, drivers, reception counter personnel, etc.

The Tourism Director & MD has also been directed "to instruct their Tourism officials to monitor movements of Domestic & International Tourists in all Tourist destinations. They are to closely coordinate with the District Administration & Health centres within their jurisdiction to ensure compliance of all precautionary measures to be taken in respect of COVID-19.

It may be mentioned here that the global death toll due to Coronavirus has soared to 5,082 till the filing of this report. In India, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 81, with new cases emerging in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

In a press briefing on Friday, Health Ministry's Lav Agarwal said that contact tracing of confirmed cases is being actively pursued, which has led to identification of 4,000 contacts, who have been put under surveillance. He further added that stated have been asked to check exorbitant prices of face masks, and even drastic measures could be taken against such cases.

The Government has prohibited mass gatherings and all the conferences, meetings, sports activities, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), have been postponed. The Karnataka government has announced the closure of all the malls, cinema halls, pubs and night clubs in the wake of coronavirus crisis in the state. As many as 46 people have been placed under quarantine in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, after Coronavirus claimed the life of a 76-year-old man, district officials have said.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also said a total of 11 confirmed cases of coronavirus had been reported in the state. Haryana, Odisha and Chhatisgarh have also banned social gatherings as part of precautionary measures to contain its outbreak.

In the Northeast region of the country, the States have sealed the international borders as a precautionary measure.

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