The West Bengal government on Saturday shut all educational institutions from March 16 to 31 as part of precautionary measures to check the spread of the Novel Corona Virus infection.

Meanwhile, Six people are in isolation in hospital while 1,977 are under home surveillance among the 2,56,682 people screened in West Bengal since the global outbreak of coronavirus. No one has tested positive for the fatal disease in the state so far, according to a health department official.

Of the half-a-dozen patients hospitalised with suspected coronavirus symptoms, four -- three Indians and a Peru national -- have been kept at the state's referral health facility for infectious diseases ID Hospital Beliaghata.

An Italian couple and a Thai national were released from hospital on Friday after their samples tested negative, a hospital official said.

A total of 68,761 persons have been screened at Kolkata and Bagdogra airports, while 184,153 others underwent screening at seven Land Border Check Points along Nepal and Bangladesh, the official said.

Also 3,768 crew members of ships have been screened in three ports.

The state health department has advised people at large to follow the cough etiquette by covering the nose and mouth using handkerchief/towel while sneezing/coughing and do frequent hand-washing with soap and water.

They should contact the 24x7 Help Line numbers (1800 313 444 222/033 2341 2600 in case they develop fever with cough or difficulty of breathing during this period," a health department bulletin said.