Mumbai: 

All offices in Mumbai and a few other cities in Maharashtra will be closed till March 31 to fight coronavirus, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced on Friday. All shops have also been shut, excluding those selling essential items.

All offices will be closed, only essential services will operate in Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur, the Chief Minister said as the number of cases in Maharashtra climbed to 52.

He asked employers not to stop employee salaries. "Crises will come and go but don't stop your humanity," said Uddhav Thackeray.