India further extends nationwide COVID-19 lockdown till 31 May
DHARAMSALA, 18 May: India has further extended its nationwide lockdown by two weeks till 31 May as the Covid-19 cases in India surged to 96,169.
New Delhi announced its decision to extend the nationwide coronavirus lockdown for further two weeks to tackle and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday.
India, the world’s largest lockdown, was imposed on 24th March. Prime Minister Narendra Modi then announced the extension of the lockdown until 3 May with a conditional relaxation after 20 April for the regions where the spread has been contained. It was then extended till 17 May.
“Lockdown 4.0” as India’s media reported it, will see most of the restriction in place. Flights, trains, educational institutions, metro services, restaurants, bars, cinemas and shopping complexes across India will continue to remain closed.
However, for the first time since India went under lockdown, private cars and buses can now operate across cities and towns – as well as crossing state borders by seeking permission from the authorities.
New Delhi has left it to the state governments to decide whether they wish to allow the easing of restrictions or continue with the previous rules.
The Changes, however, are not applicable to “containment zones,” areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases.
Telangana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Mizoram had extended the lockdown until 31 May before the government of India announced the lockdown.
The curfew imposed in Himachal Pradesh on 24 March will continue to remain in place till 31 May,
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has announced on Sunday after the Centre decided to extend the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Chief Minister has however called on the public to not panic as “Himachal Pradesh is still better than other states.”
India has so far reported 96,169 COVID-19 positive cases and 3,029 deaths till date.
According to India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Himachal has so far reported 80 COVID-19 positive cases, of which 44 of them are either discharged, treated or migrated while it resulted in 3 deaths.
As the cases in the state had increased after the return of stranded people from other states, the chief minister has cautioned that the number may increase while urging the returnees to follow quarantine rules whether they were being kept in any institution or at home.