Manipur shuts border with Myanmar over coronavirus threat

Manipur has shut its border with Myanmar indefinitely amid the novel coronavirus scare, officials said on Tuesday.

Neighbouring Mizoram had on Monday also sealed its borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, and banned the entry of foreigners to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

An official order, issued by Special Secretary (Home) H Gyan Prakash on Monday, said the Indo-Myanmar border in the Manipur sector would remain shut until further orders.

"In view of the possible threat of transmission of Coronavirus/COVID-19, Government of Manipur hereby prohibits movement of people across the international border and accordingly orders closure of Gate No 1, No 2, Moreh and other crossing points along the Manipur sector of Indo-Myanmar border until further orders," it said.

The state government directed the district magistrates, police and other officials to immediately take necessary action, including keeping the gates concerned closed.

The move comes days after Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh announced similar curbs on the visit of foreigners. Bhutan has also shut its borders to foreign visitors for two weeks in an effort to limit the impact of the disease.

The virus, which first emerged in China's Hubei province last December, has spread to more than 100 countries, with over 4,000 deaths worldwide and more than 1,10,000 confirmed cases.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the number of positive cases in the country stood at 44. However, the Indian Council of Medical Research has also counted three persons from Karnataka and two from Pune as positive.

Six more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.