13 March 2020 8:05 PM ISTThe Press Information Bureau of India has fact checked a fake notification circulating in the name of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare suggesting that the government is declaring holidays between March 14 and March 21, 2020 in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh.
The PIB release states that the notification suggesting the 'clarification regarding declaration of holidays for the states' has not been issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The fake notification suggests that this leave is mandatory for all schools, colleges, educational institutes, work place which has more than 10 employees at a time, and all the statuatory and local bodies of the state. It also states that if this order is breached, a fine of Rs. 5000 will be levied per day.
This notification comes in the wake of many state governments shutting down theatres, gyms, schools, and colleges.
As for Maharashtra, CM Uddhav Thackeray announced in the assembly on March 13,2020 that gyms, theatres, cinema halls, pools will be shut in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Pimpri Chinchwad and schools and colleges are shut in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad till the end of March. The Maharashtra government has also put out a statement suggesting that this notification is false.
India has confirmed 81 positive cases of COVID-19 with one person who died on March 13, 2020.