Chennai, Mar 17 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu government has set up a task force headed by Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam to monitor the preventive measures taken against the spread of coronavirus.

A government order was issued on Tuesday in this connection.

The other members of the task force includes Secretaries to various departments, Director General of Police, General Manager-Southern Railways, Chairman of Chennai Port Trust, Chennai Airport Director, Director of Medical Education, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and two public health experts - one from government and the other from the private sector.

The government has also ordered closure of all schools, colleges and universities (government and private), training institutes, barring medical and medicine-related institutions, till March 31 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus in the state.

Orders have been issued to close all malls, amusement parks, swimming pools, gyms, zoos and museums till the end of the month.

The government has also ordered a ban on functions in marriage halls till March 31, other than the ones that were planned earlier.

Similarly, the government has decided not to give any permission for processions, public meetings, seminars, conferences, cultural programmes, sports events and exhibitions in this period.

It has also ordered closure of all liquor bars, clubs, all tourist resorts and a freeze on fresh bookings till March 31.

Meanwhile, the DMK has also postponed the meeting of its General Council scheduled to be held on March 29 to a future date to be announced later.