NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th April, 2020) The Indian government has extended a nationwide lockdown amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak until May 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a televised address to the country on Tuesday, as the national health authorities confirmed more than 1,200 new cases in the preceding 24 hours.
The 21-day lockdown was initially introduced in March and was supposed to end on Tuesday. However, several states have decided to extend lockdown measures, initially scheduled to be lifted on April 14, until April 30 given the rapid rise in new cases over recent days.
"All have suggested that lockdown should be extended. Some states had already decided to extend the lockdown. In view of the suggestions it had been decided to extend lockdown till May 3," the prime minister said, calling on citizens to maintain discipline and adhere to social distancing measures.
Modi noted that some more stringent measures would be taken in the coming week to curb the spread of the infection.
"We will review every village, police station, district and state till April 20, how they are following the lockdown measures and saving the area from [the coronavirus]. [In] those areas which will be successful in containing [the coronavirus] which do not fall in hotspots, after April 20, certain activities will be allowed with some conditions," he said.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Department of Health and Family Welfare reported that the total number of COVID-19 cases registered in India has surged past 10,000 after 1,211 new positive tests were reported in the preceding 24 hours.
Since the start of the outbreak, 10,363 people have tested positive for the disease. The death toll now stands at 339, after 31 new deaths were reported.
A total of 1,035 people in India have recovered after contracting the disease, the ministry announced.
Maharashtra remains the most heavily impacted state, with a total of 2,334 cases of the disease. More than 1,500 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the capital of New Delhi.
