Sikkim, Only State With Zero Coronavirus Cases, To Close Border For Tourists Until October

After Sikkim, the only state with zero COVID-19 cases, decided to close the ancient Nathu La crossing with China on Thursday, the government is now planning to ban the entry of domestic tourists until October due to coronavirus.

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The state government has said it is a precautionary measure to prevent the virus from entering the small north-eastern state with a population of nearly seven lakh.

As of today, Sikkim has not recorded any cases of COVID-19, the only state in India to have no reported cases of the disease.

According to a report in India Today, the state's governor was quoted saying, "Sikkim will be closed for all tourist activities till October. We have to take this decision in the interest if our seven lakh people. We have also retained all migrant workers and we are providing them food and also paying them every day. We know we will need their help immediately after the lockdown is lifted."

ANI

The state had earlier also called off this year¡¯s Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Ministry of External Affairs organises the yatra from June-September each year through two different routes - Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim). Kailash Mansoravar is in Tibet.

The yatra is undertaken by hundreds of people every year.

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Sikkim was among the first states to ban the entry of domestic and foreign tourists and migrant labourers. It also sealed the international borders with China, Nepal and Bhutan, and two out of the four border check posts with West Bengal.

The number of coronavirus cases in India jumped to 23,077 on Friday morning, but the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said at least 23,502 people have tested positive so far. The total number of deaths rose to 718, while the number of patients who have recovered stood at 4,748.