Dambadiva tours to be temporarily suspended

Ministry of Buddha Sasana has advised against pilgrimage tours to Dambadiva in India amid growing coronavirus fears.

Accordingly, tour operators and other relevant authorities have been advised by the Ministry to temporarily suspend tours to Dambadiva.

This decision was taken with the rise of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in countries around the world, Ministry Secretary Bandula Harischandra said.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in India rose up to 39 on Sunday (08).

India has made universal screening mandatory for all international passengers arriving in the country and imposed travel restrictions on people from badly affected nations such as Italy, Iran and South Korea, adding to the previous screening of travelers from countries including China and Japan.

As over 90 percent of pilgrims participating Dambadiva pilgrimage tours are the elderly people, traveling to India in this situation is considered risky, said Harischandra.