Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia suspended classes with immediate effect till March 31 due to the coronavirus outbreak on Friday, when several other states announced similar measures in line with Delhi, where schools, movie halls and malls had been ordered closed on Thursday.

While JNU said that routine office work would remain unaffected, it directed all officers, faculty members and staff to be present for duty.

“In view of the situation arising out of coronavirus (COVID-19), it is hereby notified that all lectures, class presentations and examinations at JNU are suspended until March 31 with immediate effect,” the varsity's registrar Pramod Kumar said.

Conducting any event such as seminars/conferences/workshops on the campus during this period that require gathering of people should be postponed, he said.

“Basic mess facilities will be available to the hostel residents during this period,” he added.

After JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia also announced similar measures on Friday. It advised students to avoid large gatherings in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

On Thursday, amid rising coronavirus cases, the Delhi University had suspended classes and cancelled all functions in view of coronavirus threat.

Several states like Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Maharashtra, closed schools following in Delhi’s footsteps.

With Uttar Pradesh reporting 11 confirmed coronavirus cases, the Yogi Adityanath government asserted that all precautions were being taken to check the spread of the disease, and announced on Friday that all schools and colleges in the state where exams were not going on, have been closed till March 22.

Exams would go on according to schedule, the chief minister said, adding the people concerned have been instructed to take all precautionary measures and maintain hygiene. The decision would be reviewed on March 20 on the basis of which the future course of action would be decided.

'Though we have not declared this disease an epidemic in the state, we have delegated some powers under the Epidemic Act to facilitate treatment and if required shifting people to isolation ward to check its spread. The health department will bring a notification in this regard soon,' Adityanath said.

The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday ordered precautionary closure of private and government schools indefinitely, with immediate effect. However, teachers and non-teaching staff will have to attend schools during this period, an official statement said.

The Chhattisgarh and Manipur governments too, had on declared holiday in schools and colleges till March 31 as a precautionary measure. However, exams will be held as per schedule in both these educational institutes.

On Wednesday evening, the Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) in Raipur district suspended its classes till March 18 as a precautionary measure after a few of its students were found suffering from cough, cold and fever.

The Madras High Court, however, termed a PIL seeking direction for shutting down schools till the virus is contained as a “knee jerk reaction”, advising the public to adhere to the government’s health advisories in stead.

The plea, filed by advocate VK Rajavelu, said coronavirus cases were increasing the world over and according to doctors, children and elderly people are less immune and likely to get infected soon. It could not be possible for children to follow precautionary steps against the disease at the educational institutions and there is likelihood of them getting infected.

Disposing of the plea, the court said the petitioner has nowhere disclosed in the entire affidavit even a single incident pertaining to an occurrence of a coronavirus case in any educational institution.

“In the absence of any such material, such cavalier petition does not deserve to be entertained as a knee jerk reaction to shut down the schools,” the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice AP Sahi and Justice Senthil Kumar Ramamoorthy, said.

The Union health ministry on Friday evening said that the cases of the novel coronavirus have risen to 81 in India, with fresh cases being reported in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra.