Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi have ordered the closure of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University till further orders after 13 students tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Sunday.

The decision to close the university located at Kakriyal near Katra town, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi shrine, was taken to contain the spread and ensure safety of the students and general public, an order issued by Reasi District Magistrate Charandeep Singh said.

The order said the screening for COVID-19 was conducted at the university on December 31, 2021 and January 1, during which a total of 13 students have tested positive.

Ordering immediate closure of the university till further orders, Singh, who is also chairman of the district disaster management authority, said "any violation of the order shall invite punitive action under section 188 of Indian Penal Code and other relevant sections of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005".

Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 169 fresh coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the infection count to 3,41,459, while two more fatalities pushed the death toll to 4,530.