The Centre on Thursday announced that no international flights will be allowed to land in India from March 22 for a week, intensifying the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The health ministry has confirmed 173 positive cases in India and reported four deaths so far.

The government has also advised citizens above 65 years of age to stay at home unless they are public representatives, government servants or medical professionals. People have been asked to keep children below 10 at home.

The Centre directed railways and airlines to suspend all concessional travel except for students, patients and persons with disabilities.

All states have been asked to enforce work from home for the private sector, except for emergency and essential services.

The stringent measures came two days after passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia were banned from entering India. On Monday, the advisory issued announced that passengers from all 27 European Union countries, all four European Free Trade Association member nations, Turkey and the United Kingdom cannot enter India between March 18 and March 31.