Chandigarh, March 19 (IANS): As a preventive step to counter the growing coronavirus outbreak in the region, the Punjab government on Thursday decided to discontinue public transport buses in the state from Saturday midnight.

Accordingly, buses, auto-rickshaws and tempos will not be allowed to ply in the state from the midnight of Saturday.

The decision was taken by a group of ministers who met here on Thursday to review the state's preparedness to counter the coronavirus pandemic. It also decided to limit public gatherings to 20 people.

The state has reported two positive coronavirus cases so far. One person, with travel history to Germany and Italy, had died on Wednesday and test reports on Thursday confirmed that the deceased was infected by the dreaded virus.

The other positive case has been admitted to a hospital in Amritsar.

The state's capital, Chandigarh, also reported its first positive case late on Wednesday night.